NewsHawks 19 November 2021

WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 19 November 2021 ‘BFUoSreINx ESS Price
headaches
NCEhWiwSenga seeks set to US$1
to de-escalate persist’
Zanu PF S‘HPuOmRTiliated,
factional tensions Story on Page 24 intimidated
referee reports
Story on Page 5 sexual advances

Story on Page 50

US$28 million in
taxpayers' funds
misappropriated
in corrupt deal

ALSO INSIDE Marry Mubaiwa challenges ‘malicious’ jailing

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

MARY MUNDEYA GMAZ president fingered in
US$28m corruption scandal
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on
Lands has recommended that the police and l Parly committee demands answers
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission investi-
gate the Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe GMAZ president behalf of GMAZ, Mr Tafadzwa Musarara failed to Chatambudza Legal Practioners.
(GMAZ) and its president Tafadzwa Musarara for Tafadzwa Musarara provide the proof of a ministerial waiver or instru- During oral submissions, Musarara had in-
failing to account for US$28.2 million availed by ment authorising such transaction so it was not
the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for the im- parties.” considered a sale to other millers,” the committee formed the committee that GMAZ was a fully
portation of wheat between 2017 and 2019. The report says RBZ provided the committee said. constituted body, availed its constitution and
further stated that GMAZ received from RBZ an
GMAZ has denied wrongdoing. It said in a with proof that GMAZ authorised its local bank- “Asked to explain the difference in numbers, amount of US$26.2 million
statement it was “deeply saddened” by the parlia- ers Metbank and Ecobank to transfer US$28.2 Mr Tafadzwa Musarara attempted to claim part of
mentary report. million as advance payment to Holbud of the the money was for previous debt yet RBZ released Musarara informed the committee GMAZ had
United Kingdom for wheat purchase, but there funds for advance payments and bank transfers brought proof of how the funds were utilised and
In their first report of the fourth session of the are no acquittals for any portion of those funds. completed by GMAZ clearly indicated the funds submitted what he termed “acquittal documents”
ninth parliament presented by committee chair- were advance payments against current invoices.” for the US$26.2 million allocated to the organisa-
person Justice Mayor Wadyajena on 4 November, “This makes whole amount of US$28.2 million tion by the RBZ.
the legislators also called for an investigation into unaccounted for,” the committee said. The committee said the use of Drotsky (Private)
circumstances that led to Drotsky (Private) Lim- Limited to transact GMAZ business indicates a se- However, he said his secretariat was in South
ited, a company owned by Musarara, being the “The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe further sub- rious lack of corporate governance. Africa attending a food fortification conference
vehicle used to import wheat on behalf of wheat mitted acquittals totalling US$24.2 million. The and could not avail some of the requested docu-
millers despite GMAZ processing telegraphic acquittals listed Drotsky as the consignee on the “It appears, Mr. Musarara might have abused mentation to the committee on time, prompting
transfers from its own accounts. Bills of Entry, not GMAZ whom they had given his position of chair of the same to use his compa- the committee to reschedule the meeting to 2
the funds to. There was no resolution of GMAZ ny without the relevant consent by all stakehold- April 2019 to allow GMAZ the opportunity to
GMAZ had initially said it had imported the authorising Mr Musarara to use his company ers. No resolutions were availed to prove other- compile and submit all requested information.
wheat, but later said the commodity was import- Drostky as a vehicle to import wheat on behalf wise,” the committee said.
ed through Drotsky. This was after the Zimba- of Wheat Millers and additionally, the Commit- The committee however said: “Parliament went
bwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) revealed it had tee noted invoices from Holbud clearly indicated The Wadyajena-led committee also took a on an unscheduled recess and GMAZ was accord-
no records of any wheat imports by GMAZ. The GMAZ as the customer, not Drotsky. swipe at the ministry of Finance for failing to ingly notified of the postponement of the meeting
matter was further complicated by the fact that bring GMAZ and its chairperson to account. to a later date which was to be announced. It must,
Drotsky had its own import licence, raising ques- “The Committee noted that Mr Tafadzwa however, be noted that despite prior warning of
tions as to whether funds from the central bank Musarara drafted and wrote letters on behalf of “Why has it taken Parliament to unravel the the postponement, GMAZ turned up on the
were used at all. all millers, as evidenced by the letters which con- misappropriation of funds yet they had all the in- 2nd of April without invitation and held a Press
firmed millers received their wheat allocations in formation before them to take appropriate action conference addressed by Mr. Tafadzwa Musarara
The money in question was released after the full. When committee inquired why all letters against GMAZ? There is a real possibility of exter- and their attorney, Advocate T. Magwaliba, on
government developed a dedicated facility under from the various companies bore an uncanny re- nalisation of foreign currency here by the GMAZ the precinct of Parliament, just outside the Senate
the ministry of Finance and Economic Develop- semblance, the representatives advised the com- chairperson,” the report further reads. Chamber. Several questions arose as to how they
ment, administered by the Reserve Bank of Zim- mittee that GMAZ called and simply gave them were able to access parliamentary premises with-
babwe (RBZ) to allocate foreign currency at a rate written letters for their signatures and letterheads. The committee further recommended that out requisite security clearances.”
of US$1:ZW$1 to GMAZ for the importation of The committee was left bewildered as to how Zimra investigate the tax affairs of Drotsky and
wheat following successive droughts. GMAZ could successfully complete all interna- GMAZ, including instituting a lifestyle audit on Although Musarara revealed he did not know
tional telegraphic transfers of US$28.2 million to Musarara for a period between January 2018 and Wadyajena at personal level and that the legislator
“This facility was meant to allow the importa- Holbud, but then fail to receive the goods in their March 2020 zeroing on the US$28.2 million had never sought a bribe from him, GMAZ later
tion of crucial commodities using the controlled name.” availed by the RBZ. The authority was told to re- requested that the parliamentary committee chair-
bank rate, making products like bread affordable port to the committee within 60 days. person recuse himself from the hearing and that
to the majority of the citizenry, particularly the The report indicates that the committee asked his membership to the committee be terminated.
economically disadvantaged, while guaranteeing National Foods and other millers what they ben- “The ZRP must investigate, take appropriate
stability in the bread industry. In spite of this efited in using Drotsky (a competitor) instead of action where there are anomalies and issue a state- The committee said it spent almost a year in
government intervention, the country went on to their own name, but failed to get clear answers ment within 30 days of this directive on progress back-and-forth communication, with GMAZ
experience shortages of bread. This is one of the from all millers. regarding the externalisation of funds meant for showing and expressing its unwillingness to ap-
factors that motivated the necessity for this inqui- wheat purchases by GMAZ,” the committee said. pear before the committee.
ry,” the committee said. None of the companies confirmed that they
mandated Musarara to use his personal company. Musarara was interviewed on 19 March 2019 In its Press statement jointly signed by the asso-
“Other factors included the lack of clarity of the with other GMAZ stakeholders. ciation’s first vice-president and second vice-pres-
exact nature and extent of GMAZ participation Parliament also fears that there could have been ident, GMAZ dismissed the accusations levelled
in this facility. Specifically, the question of wheth- violation of tax laws (tax evasion, tax returns, in- The committee received written submissions against the association and its chairperson Musar-
er GMAZ held a clear mandate in the adminis- come tax, value-added tax returns from January from the RBZ governor, Commissioner-General ara.
tration and allocation of the US$28.2 million. 2018-March 2020) given the inconsistencies in of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Metbank,
Thirdly, disturbing reports of unfair and murky the account of the US$28.2 million. Ecobank, Drotsky (Private) Limited, GMAZ, “The decision to import wheat as a collective
distribution of wheat allocations to a selected few Wintertons Legal Practitioners and Rubaya and was proper and no participating miller was prej-
millers and, finally, the persistent well-publicised “Despite changing his story and now insisting udiced. All millers who participated received their
demands by GMAZ, which bordered on threats, Drotsky imported wheat for US$24.2 million on wheat stocks in full.”
for more forex allocations brought to bear the
question of the nexus between GMAZ and the GMAZ explained how the wheat facility oper-
government.” ated.

The committee reported that Musarara demon- “Millers populated their local currency deposits
strated he was unwilling to assist in its investiga- into a GMAZ bank account and procured their
tions and was also found to be obfuscating and foreign currency to pay supplier. We accounted for
outrightly refusing to submit documentation per- all allocated forex to millers for the period between
tinent to the inquiry. 1 January 2015 to 11 March 2019 as requested in
the letter written to GMAZ by the Clerk of Parlia-
“Musarara notified the committee that GMAZ ment dated 13 March 2019. This amounts to circa
had imported wheat valued at US$26.2 mil- US$26 million.
lion yet RBZ advised and availed documents to
the committee that the accessed funds totalled “However, we continued to procure and pay
US$28.2 million. Zimra wrote to the committee (beyond these above-mentioned dates) for im-
and clearly stated that for a period between Janu- ported wheat in order to ensure adequate bread
ary 2018 and May 2020, GMAZ did not import supplies in the country,” GMAZ said.
any wheat into Zimbabwe ‘. . . Please be advised
there are no wheat imports for GMAZ in our re- The association says the wheat was procured via
cords for the mentioned period of January 2018 an unsecured loan facility arranged by Musarara
to August 2019 . . .’ (direct quote from Zimra let- and the supplier made his company, Drotsky, a
ter),” the report reads. consignee.

“After being provided with confirmation letters GMAZ claimed that Drotsky “also participated
from Zimra, Mr Tafadzwa Musarara later conced- in the facility like any other miller”.
ed to the committee that, in actual fact, GMAZ
never imported any wheat but that it was a private “Wheat imports were then delivered to a bond-
company that he owns in his personal capacity ed warehouse and released after payments were
called Drotsky (Private) Limited that imported made to the supplier.”
the wheat instead. His previous statements which
were given under oath were then revealed to be GMAZ said the association, a voluntary busi-
perjurious, which itself is contempt of Parliament. ness organisation, is not a public procurement
entity in terms of the Public Procurement and
“Zimra further advised the committee that for Disposal of Assets Act and should therefore not be
a period between January 2018 and May 2020, subjected to parliamentary oversight.
Drotsky imported wheat totalling US$24.2 mil-
lion into the country but it must be highlight- The grain millers are also demanding the re-
ed that Mr Tafadzwa Musarara had advised the moval of Wadyajena as chairperson of the Parlia-
committee that his private entity, Drotsky, was mentary Portfolio Committee, accusing him of
in the business of importing its own wheat like bias.
other millers and when asked to provide evidence
in any form that the US$24.2 million belonged
to GMAZ’s RBZ funds, he failed to provide the
evidence and also failed to provide evidence of the
authority by regulatory authorities to use third

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Mnangagwa lawyer
reported to Law
Society of Zim for
unprofessionalism

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA (opposing papers). We note that your client did Zanu PF member Sybeth Musengezi is challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legitimacy in court.
not specify his address of residence or business,
ATTORNEYS representing Zanu PF member as required by the High Court rules, and thereby President Emmerson Mnangagwa's lawyer Edwin Manikai
Sybeth Musengezi, who has taken the ruling party risking our clients in effort to recover costs that
and five senior officials to court over contentions might be made against him in this matter,” Man- interested party — added: “I’m with Sindiso. client’s cause. An effective justice delivery system
of installing President Emmerson Mnangagwa as ikai says. The letter doesn’t reflect the high station of the requires ethical and professional lawyers. As torch
new leader illegally, have reported the lawyer whose name is attached to it (Manikai). bearers of justice and officers of the court, they
“Following opposing papers filed on 5 Novem- If it had come from a young, junior and inexpe- have to be professional. Every legal practitioner
President’s lawyers, particularly senior counsel ber 2021, the respective views of our clients has rienced lawyer who has limited appreciation of must be cognisant of that.
Edwin Manikai, to the Law Society of Zimba- not changed. The respectful stance taken by our decorum, I would look past it. It’s too emotional
bwe (LSZ) for “unethical” and “unprofessional” clients (which we agree with) is that your client and threatening suggesting panic, also that there “With this in mind and in this case, it is clear
conduct. The Bulawayo-based Ncube Attor- has no case and the present application is devoid is foreknowledge of the outcome. I know Bla Manikai is close to the client (Mnangagwa) – thus
neys, whose correspondence law firm in Harare of merit, has been brought for ulterior motives Edwin and he is far too balanced for this type of proximity to power –; he has almost adopted his
is Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Makoni, has re- and illicit purposes, including seeking the glory of communication. If he indeed penned this as the client’s cause, and tied himself in knots in the
ported Manikai of Dube, Manikai & Hwacha publicity and for political purposes. lt has, there- signature suggests then maybe on a better day he process. His letter has ethical and professional im-
(DMH) Commercial Law Chambers to the LSZ fore, been made in bad faith, is frivolous and is might reconsider it.” plications, which is what his colleagues are com-
— the professional body representing lawyers in intended to play to the gallery, and thereby is an plaining about.”
the country — over a letter which it says reflects abuse of the privilege of the Honourable Court. Another senior lawyer, who preferred anonym-
improper and unscrupulous behaviour, as well as ity, said Manikai’s letter had undertones of “ag- The lawyer added: “One of the most common
“bullying tactics”. “It is therefore advisable for your client to with- gression, entitlement and impunity”. mistakes clients make is to assume that their law-
draw his application unconditionally at this stage, yer is doing a great job due to the number and
In a dramatic escalation of tensions over the tendering wasted costs, to avoid further abuse of “Attorney-client relationship is the most im- nastiness of their letters to the other side. That’s
Mnangagwa legitimacy battle, Ncube Attorneys process and privilege and forcing the respondents portant aspect of professional life of lawyers. litigation by correspondence. It is absolutely a
wrote in a letter dated 18 November 2021 ac- to incur additional costs defending this spurious When lawyers enter into professional relations waste of time and money. A nasty letter usually
knowledging receipt of Manikai’s earlier corre- and vexatious matter. with their clients they become bound by several causes the other side to dig in more as we can see
spondence of 11 November 2021, while simulta- ethical and professional duties and obligations,” in this case. It costs money, but does not resolve
neously complaining about DMH’s conduct. “In the event of your client not heeding this the lawyer said. anything. It escalates conflict instead of de-escala-
clarion call, our clients would be left with no oth- tion. Such correspondence is not evidence, thus
“We confirm receipt of your letter dated 11 er alternative but to seek costs de bonis propriis “Some of those basic ethics include that lawyers has no value in court.”
November 2021. The contents of your letter have against you, on the basis and grounds that your should avoid conflict of interest and not adopt a
been considered and for the record, what is clear- client is facing primarily legal and supremely in-
ly being demonstrated by your letter is unethical controvertible contestation; proceeding further
and unprofessional conduct,” Ncube Attorneys’ would be evidence of gross negligence, and with
letter says. respect, frivolous action in the advice rendered to
your client.
“We note with great concern that you are using
‘bullying’ tactics and these tactics shall be strongly “There is a plethora of relevant case law in this
resisted, as such your conduct has been reported regard , including but not limited to the follow-
to the Law Society of Zimbabwe. Our client shall ing: Matamisa v City of Mutare & Others SCfia
be filing an answering affidavit and the matter / 98; Manpac (Private) Limited v People’s Own
shall proceed to be heard in court.” Savings Bank & Anor HCLLO26/L4; South Af-
rican Liquor Traders Association and Ors v Chair-
Manikai is a senior partner at DMH. He chairs person, Gauteng Liquor Board and Ors 2009(L)
Mnangagwa’s moribund Presidential Advisory SA 565 (CC).
Council, which has all but collapsed, amid gover-
nance dysfunctionality, as it proved inapt and in- “We reiterate that your client has no locus stan-
ept beyond its public relations function. Besides, di to bring this matter as he is not a member of
Manikai is related to Mnangagwa. the Zanu PF, no leave has been sought to sue the
President of Zimbabwe, the present matter has
Musengezi in October took Zanu PF to court prescribed by law, and the matter is moot having
over Mnangagwa’s disputed ascendancy. The been overtaken by events, and at any rate there
first respondent is Zanu PF. Mnangagwa is sec- are now material disputes of fact which cannot be
ond, Obert Mpofu (third), Patrick Chinamasa resolve on the papers. Further, your client has not
(fourth), Phelekezela Mphoko (fifth) and Ignatius exhausted domestic remedies and the relief being
Chombo (sixth). sought by your client is incompetent. All these
factors point to the conclusion that this applica-
Early this month, Manikai filed the respon- tion is ill-founded and ought to be withdrawn.
dents’ opposing affidavit before turning around
and demanding withdrawal of the case lest the ap- “This proposal is open for acceptance by your
plicant and his lawyers suffer the consequences, in client and yourselves within seven days of the date
a clear case of litigation by correspondence. This of this letter, after which it should be treated as
prompted the complaint by Ncube Attorneys. having been withdrawn and of no force and ef-
fect, unless extended prior to the expiry. In the
Ncube Attorneys protested, but said there is no event, our clients would be placing a copy of this
question of withdrawal of the case. They are due letter before the Honourable Court in motivation
to file their answering affidavit anytime soon. of the prayer for costs de bonis propriis.”

The reporting of DMH to LSZ follows a letter Lawyers said Manikai’s response was unethical,
written by Manikai to Ncube Attorneys relating unprofessional and unnecessarily threatening.
to the Musengezi case, in which he is suing Zanu
PF and its senior officials over how they appoint- Commenting on social media, Bulawayo
ed Mnangagwa to the helm through what they lawyer Sindiso Mazibisa described it as “litiga-
say was an unconstitutional and unlawful Cen- tion through correspondence”, which he said is
tral Committee meeting on 19 November 2017, “laughable”. United Kingdom-based legal expert
making him an illegitimate and illegal party lead- Alex Magaisa said on a Facebook post accompa-
er. After filing the opposing affidavit in which he nied by the letter: “I have noted request for a com-
pleads presidential immunity for Mnangagwa ment regarding the letter (by Manikai) to Sybeth
— who is not the main respondent as Zanu PF Musengezi. It may not be appropriate to do so
actually is — amid claims Musengezi has no locus at this stage except to refer to the wisdom of the
standi (legal standing), Manikai now wants the ancestors that when a blind man challenges you to
matter withdrawn. a stone-throwing contest it is probably because he
has his foot on a stone!”
“We refer to the above matter in which we act
on behalf of 1st to 4th respondents (Zanu PF, Magaisa — emphasising that the matter is
Mnangagwa, Mpofu and Chinamasa respective- mainly between Musengezi and Zanu PF while
ly) whose behalf we filed notice of opposition and Mnangagwa was enjoined as it affects him as an
opposing papers on the 5th of November, 2021

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Lawyers locked Issue 57, 19 November 2021
in war of words

ADVERT SPACE

For more information visit-; To place your booking contact
Charmaine on 0735 666 122
The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLive www.newshawks.com [email protected] Email- [email protected]
Land line- (0242) 721 144/5

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

MORRIS BISHI Chiwenga seeks to de-escalate
Zanu PF’s factional tensions
VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chi- fierce backlash and financial ruin.
wenga has moved to de-escalate tension Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga (left) says Zanu PF can alter laws to enable President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rule Mnangagwa’s legitimacy as Zanu PF
by appearing to support President Em- beyond two terms.
merson Mnangagwa’s 2023 re-election leader is being challenged in the courts
bid, as well as a potential stay in power are desparate and saying useless things. even change the constitution and say we legitimate and must not run in 2023, a by party member Sybeth Musengezi.
beyond the constitutional 10 years, a fa- We are behind President Mnangagwa want him as life president.” fortnight ago slipped out of the country Although Musengezi says he is acting
miliar script in Zanu PF. in 2023. to catch a breath of fresh air in the Neth- alone, his move is overwhelmingly sup-
Chiwenga’s de-escalation drive came erlands as the President’s hounds turned ported by the Chiwenga faction.
On the ground, however, Chiwenga’s “He is our candidate. If Zanu PF as top business executive and ally Caleb the heat on him, threatening him with a
allies are engaged in a war of attrition rules until donkeys grow horns, we can Dengu, who has said Mnangagwa is il- An official in the Zanu PF top 10
with Mnangagwa’s backers as seen by told The NewsHawks last week: “Let the
the chaos and violence during the par- courts deal with the matter; it’s import-
ty’s ongoing restructuring exercise and ant for us to follow the constitution and
unrest among war veterans. internal processes.”

Officials in Zanu PF say Chiwenga The defeated yet still alive Zanu PF
is actually contemplating challenging faction — G40 — is also supporting
Mnangagwa who has betrayed him by the move. This has created a conver-
seeking re-election although the two gence of forces between the Chiwenga
had agreed that the President would camp and the dormant but resurrecting
complete a single term before handing G40 group. Manoeuvres are underway
over the reins to his deputy. by Chiwenga and G40 strategists to re-
align forces within Zanu PF and chal-
The deal was part of the 2017 coup lenge Mnangagwa head-on next year.
agreement, which saw the military then
under Chiwenga’s command, topple Inside sources said after Mnangagwa
Mugabe before handing over power to reneged on the deal with Chiwenga pri-
Mnangagwa. or to the November 2017 military coup
that ousted the late former president
In a move that could have far-reach- Robert Mugabe to serve only one term
ing political consequences for the ruling and allow his deputy to come in 2023,
Zanu PF and the nation, Chiwenga is gloves are now off within the ruling par-
considering challenging Mnangagwa in ty over unresolved leadership issues.
the party’s elective congress next year,
as the two powerful gladiators head for “The fallout within the party lead-
battle royale, amid a dramatic realign- ership is serious. We are heading for
ment of forces. battle royale between Mnangagwa and
Chiwenga next year,” a source told The
This comes as Chiwenga moved last NewsHawks last week.
week to strategically de-escalate dramat-
ically rising political temperatures be- “That is how politics within Zanu
tween him and Mnangagwa, saying his PF and state institutions is currently
rival will be the uncontested Zanu PF shaping up. The unresolved leadership
candidate in the 2023 elections. He re- question can no longer be managed
peated his de-escalation move at a rally and swept under the carpet; it has got
in Matabeleland South yesterday. to be settled politically, and that means
through congress next year. There is no
“You heard the national chair say- question of another military coup; well,
ing last month we held our National perhaps a palace coup might happen,
People’s Conference in Bindura . . . but not a putsch.”
All provinces in Zimbabwe, including
you here, said you want a good leader;
a leader who has improved Zimbabwe.
You all said you want Mnangagwa. He
will be our candidate in 2023,” he said.

“He will be our candidate in 2023, so
that what he has planned to mature in
2030, comes to fruition. Our enemies

... As faction pushes for Chadzamira ouster

A ZANU PF faction linked to Vice-President cial elections.
Constantine Chiwenga is pushing for the ouster “The provincial chairman is tampering with
of embattled minister of State for Masvingo Ezra
Chadzamira who is also the provincial chair- our structures in all areas which are supporting
person, accusing him of tampering with party Rabson Mavenyengwa, who is challenging him
structures in a bid to win the coming provincial for the chairman’s post. This is happening in
elections. Chivi, Masvingo, and Chiredzi districts. Women
faced him last week at Caravan Park and we are
Last week, Chadzamira left a Zanu PF wom- planning more similar events so that he can do
en’s league meeting at Caravan Park in Masvin- the right things. The guy is now facing a lot of
go in a huff after being informed that women pressure from different sections,” the senior party
aligned to Chiwenga were planning to demon- official said.
strate and move a no-confidence motion against
him. Chadzamira’s popularity in the province Zanu PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson
has been waning after he was arrested for corrup- Ophias Murambwi said he was unaware that
tion and abuse of office charges by investigators there are people who are tampering with party
from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commis- structures. He said party districts should keep
sion (Zacc) in September. copies of their officials to avoid cheating.

The arrest is however viewed by his associates “I am not aware of anyone who is tampering
as a political strategy by those aligned to Chi- with lists of our structures. I will check with peo-
wenga to tarnish the image of the strongest man ple on the ground, but officials in our districts
in the province who is also viewed as a close ally should keep photocopies of their lists to avoid
of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. such incidences,” Murambiwa said.

A senior Zanu PF official linked to Chiwenga Efforts to get a comment from Chadzamira
faction told The NewsHawks that last week’s in- were fruitless since he was unreachable on his
cident at Caravan Park is just the beginning of mobile number.
more planned events meant to oust Chadzamira
whom the faction is accusing of tampering with Mavenyengwa confirmed to The NewsHawks
lists for party structures by deleting names of op- that he is challenging Chadzamira for the pro-
ponents so that he can win the coming provin- vincial chairperson’s post.

Minister of State for Masvingo Ezra Chadzamira

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Marry Mubaiwa challenges fresh jailing

MARRY Mubaiwa, Vice-President Constantino In agony: Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa is battling lymphoedema.
Chiwenga’s estranged wife, has filed an urgent
chamber application at the High Court seeking a trating and she failed to fully follow what l was read. regarding the trial having stalled due to her poor
review of a judgement by Harare magistrate Lazini asking her,” Makombe-Mazhandu said. “The applican’s continued incarceration in pris- health. Her pressing prayer is to be freed, pending
Ncube to have her jailed while awaiting mental hearing of her matters.
examination by state doctors. “Mubaiwa has a mental disorder she is not cur- on will likely exacerbate her already serious med-
rently able to stand trial. I am familiar with the ical condition as the prison conditions are wors- “Failure to have the application for review set
Mubaiwa wants the decision of 16 Novem- prescription she is taking. Some of the drugs can ening her depression and anxiety. This may have down on an urgent basis would cause me great
ber that she be detained for 10 days for purposes control how someone thinks. Stop pain which she irreparable consequences for her health. If this prejudice which would be irreparable in that, if
of the said examination under section 28 of the is taking can affect someone alertness,” she said. court does not give directions having the review the decision is not set aside urgently, I will remain
Mental Health Act to be set aside. set down on an urgent basis, the violations will languishing in prison for 10 days in violation of
She further said the depression she is facing have already occurred by the time the application my right to liberty and in conditions that are exac-
In the other urgent application, Mubaiwa is re- could have been as a result of separating with her for review is ultimately set down. Therefore, the erbating my already serious health condition.
questing an urgent hearing of her appeal stating children for long and also of prolonged illness. applicant seeks an order having the application set
that any further delay would be detrimental to her down on an urgent basis.” “The damage to my health is likely to be irrep-
deteriorating health. Cited as respondents is the The doctor recommended that Mubaiwa be re- arable. I am already suffering from major depres-
magistrate and the state. united with her children to lessen her depression. Mubaiwa is facing a charge of attempting to sive disorder with comorbid anxiety disorder and
kill Chiwenga when he was admitted to a South my being committed to prison is only making my
Ncube on Tuesday recommended that Mubai- Meanwhile, in the certificate of urgency, African hospital. She is also accused of forging depression and anxiety worse as the conditions in
wa be jailed, issuing a 10-day ultimatum for her Mubaiwa’s lawyers said the matter was very urgent Chiwenga’’s signatures in a bid to formalise their prison are inhumane and I am being unjustly de-
to be examined. This was after three state doctors and hearing cannot be delayed. marriage. Mubaiwa is also charged with money nied my right to liberty.”
gave different testimonies regarding their findings laundering and assault. Her assault and fraud trial
on her health. Mubaiwa feels it was therefore un- “The applicant seeks directions from this hon- was due to commence early this month, but failed Mubaiwa was arrested on 14 December 2019.
fair for the magistrate to order another medical ex- ourable court to have the application for review set after she told court that she is unfit to be prosecut- She has not known peace since then as she has
amination, considering that she already has been down and determined on an urgent basis on the ed. She is battling lymphoedema, a condition that been in and out of the courts and lost custody of
seen by three state doctors who did not rule out grounds that, if it is not, it will result in irreparable has left her lower limbs deformed. She is also go- her minor children after the court ruled she was
that she is indeed very ill. harm in that the applicant’s continued incarcera- ing through divorce with Chiwenga, with progress mentally unstable. The urgent application is yet to
tion in prison, in terms of a grossly irregular order, be set down for hearing. — STAFF WRITER
She also contends that it was wrong to be de- is an egregious and ongoing violation of her right
tained under section 28 of the Mental Health Act to liberty,” the urgent chamber application papers
because her condition does not fall under that cat-
egory because she has not shown any signs which
make her mental health questionable.

“Even if there was need for any further exam
by more doctors, which I strongly dispute, there
would be no need for me to be in custody for such
examination to take place,” she said in her found-
ing affidavit.

“My incaceration is therefore clearly malicious
and unlawful, designed only to inflict pain on me,
as it is based on a deliberate and calculated misin-
terpretation of the provisions of Section 28 of the
Mental Health Act,” she told the High Court.

Mubaiwa said the magistrate and the state want
to force her to go on trial when her health would
not allow her full participation in the proceedings.

During the hearing of her application for
postponement, a specialist physician from Pari-
renyatwa, Dr Percy Simukayi Machawira, said
Mubaiwa was at that time taking over six types of
medication including pain relief, sedatives and de-
toxing tablets. He could, however, not comment
on her mental fitness, stating that would require
psychiatrists. Two other doctors on Monday also
gave their testimonies. The medical professionals,
physician Charles Nyamukachi and psychiatrist
Fungisai Makombe Mazhandu, gave their differ-
ent findings.

Nyamukachi told court that he conducted a
physical examination on Mubaiwa and concluded
that she was fit to stand trial because she was alert
to what he was asking her for close to an hour.

However, psychiatrist Makombe-Mazhandu
testified that Mubaiwa was not fit for trial, saying
she was depressed.

“Mubaiwa is suffering from depression that is
my finding. She is not able to stand trial. At the
time when l saw her she had difficulty in concen-

Societies that treat women University and Donna Lee Bowen and Perpetua Such rules were designed for a world without
badly are poorer, less stable Lynne Nielsen of Brigham Young University. modern states to keep order, or modern contra-
ception. In rich, liberal countries, the idea of the
l Oppressing women not only hurts women; it also hurts men Some Iraqi cities are quite liberal by Middle male kinship group as the building block of soci-
Eastern standards, but much of the rural hinter- ety faded long ago.
“A WOMAN who drives a car will be killed,” covid face-mask. land is patriarchal in the strict sense of the word.
Sheikh Hazim Muhammad al-Manshad says. Yet the code he espouses is brutal. And one aim The social order is built around male kinship Elsewhere, it is surprisingly common. As a
groups. The leaders are all men. At home, women group that champions an extreme version of it has
He says it matter-of-factly, without raising his of that brutality is to enable men to control wom- are expected to obey husbands, fathers or brothers. just seized power in Afghanistan, it is worth look-
voice. The unwritten rules of his tribe, the al- en’s fertility. A daughter must accept the husband At tribal meetings, they are absent. “I’ll be clear: ing at how such societies work.
Ghazi of southern Iraq, are clear. A woman who her father picks. If she dallies with another man, according to tribal custom, a woman does not
drives a car might meet a man. The very possibility her male kin are honour-bound to kill them both. have freedom of expression,” Manshad says. In The First Political Order: How Sex Shapes
is “a violation of her honour”. So her male relatives Governance and National Security Worldwide, Ms
will kill her, with a knife or a bullet, and bury the Women mostly stay indoors. Your correspon- The male kinship group has been the basic unit Hudson, Ms Bowen and Ms Nielsen rank 176
body in a sand dune. dent visited three Shia tribes in southern Iraq in of many, if not most, societies for much of histo- countries on a scale of 0 to 16 for what they call
June, and wandered through their villages. He did ry. It evolved as a self-defence mechanism. Men the “patrilineal/fraternal syndrome”. This is a
The sheikh is a decorous host. He seats his not see a single post-pubescent woman. who were related to each other were more likely to composite of such things as unequal treatment of
guests on fine carpets, in a hall that offers shade unite against external enemies. women in family law and property rights, early
from the desert sun. He bids his son serve them Oppressing women is not only bad for women; marriage for girls, patrilocal marriage, polygamy,
strong, bitter coffee from a shared cup. He wears a it hurts men, too. It makes societies poorer and If they married outside the group, it was the bride price, son preference, violence against wom-
less stable, argue Valerie Hudson of Texas A&M women who moved to join their husbands. (This en and social attitudes towards it (for example, is
is called “patrilocal” marriage, and is still common rape seen as a property crime against men?).
in most of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.) The
bloodline was deemed to pass from father to son Rich democracies do well; Australia, Sweden
(this arrangement is called “patrilineal”). Proper- and Switzerland all manage the best-possible score
ty and leadership roles also passed down the male of zero. Iraq scores a woeful 15, level with Nige-
line. Daughters were valued for their ability to give ria, Yemen and (pre-Taliban) Afghanistan. Only
birth to sons. Strict rules were devised to ensure South Sudan does worse. Dismal scores are not
women’s chastity. limited to poor countries (Saudi Arabia and Qatar

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

do terribly), nor to Muslim ones (India and most ous. Lena Edlund of Columbia University and her tivated by the desire to raise such a sum, he shrugs: to support them. This weakens the logic of patri-
of sub-Saharan Africa do badly, too). Overall, the co-authors found that in China, for every 1% rise “It is a basic necessity in life to get married.” lineality. If parents do not need a son to take care
authors estimate that 120 countries are still to in the ratio of men to women, violent and prop- of them, they may not desire one so fervently, or
some degree swayed by this syndrome. erty crime rose by 3.7%. Parts of India with more Insurgent groups exploit male frustration to insist so forcefully that he and his wife live with
surplus men also have more violence against wom- recruit. Islamic State gave its fighters sex slaves. them. They may even feel sanguine about having
As a patriarch, Manshad is expected to resolve en. The insurgency in Kashmir has political roots, Boko Haram offers its troops the chance to kid- a daughter.
problems his tribesmen bring to him. Many in- but it cannot help that the state has one of most nap girls. Some Taliban are reportedly knocking
volve bloodshed. “Yesterday,” he says, he had to skewed sex ratios in India. on doors and demanding that families surrender That is what happened in South Korea, the
sort out a land dispute. Men from another tribe single women to “wed” them. country that in modern times has most rapidly
were digging up sand to make cement on a patch Family norms vary widely. Perhaps the most dismantled a patrilineal system. In 1991 it equal-
of land that both they and Manshad’s tribe claim. socially destabilising is polygamy (or, more pre- You don’t own me ised male and female inheritance rights, and end-
Shooting broke out. A man was hit in the thigh. cisely, polygyny, where a man marries more than Patrilineality is sustained by property rules that ed a husband’s automatic right to custody of the
A truce was called to discuss compensation, me- one woman). Only about 2% of people live in favour men. To keep assets within the patriline, children after divorce. In 2005 the legal notion of
diated by a third tribe. In a separate incident five polygamous households. But in the most unstable many societies make it hard for women to own or a single (usually male) “head of household” was
days ago, three men were killed in a quarrel over places it is rife. In war-racked Mali, Burkina Faso inherit property. Written laws are often fairer, but abolished. In 2009, a court found marital rape
a truck. We have “many problems like this”, sighs and South Sudan, the figure is more than a third. custom may trump them. In India, only 13% of unconstitutional. Meanwhile, increased state pen-
the sheikh. In the north-east of Nigeria, where the jihadists land is held by women. Several studies have shown sions sharply reduced the share of old Koreans
of Boko Haram control large swathes of territo- that women who own land have more bargaining who lived with, and depended on, their sons. And
The Iraqi police are reluctant to intervene in ry, 44% of women aged 15-49 are in polygynous power at home and are less likely to suffer domes- among parents, one of the world’s strongest prefer-
tribal murders. The culprit is probably armed. If unions. tic violence. ences for male babies switched within a generation
he dies resisting arrest, his male relatives will feel a Nyadoi tried to build a small house on the land to a slight preference for girls.
moral duty to kill the officer who fired the shot or, If the richest 10% of men have four wives each, of her deceased parents, but her cousins told her
failing that, one of his colleagues. Few cops want the bottom 30% will have none. This gives them she could not, because she was a woman. Only The change was so fast that it prompted a back-
to pick such a fight. It is far easier to let the tribes a powerful incentive to kill other men and steal when staff from Mifumi interceded at a clan meet- lash among bewildered men. By comparison, it
sort out their own disputes. their goods. They can either form groups of ban- ing and laid out her rights under Ugandan law did took ages for patrilineal culture to wither in the
dits with their cousins, as in north-western Nige- her relatives let her have a small patch of land. She West, though it started much earlier, when the
The upshot is that old codes of honour often ria, or join rebel armies, as in the Sahel. In Guinea, now lives there, away from her husband. She sobs Catholic church forbade polygamy, forced and
trump Iraqi law (and also, whisper it, Islamic scrip- where soldiers carried out a coup on September as she recalls “all the suffering for so many years . . cousin marriage and the disinheritance of widows
ture, which is usually milder). Cycles of vengeance 5th, 42% of married women aged 15-49 have co- . fighting, beatings, cuttings, being chased away.” in the seventh century.
can spiral out of control. “Innocent bystanders are wives. Home matters. If boys see their fathers bul-
being killed,” complains Muhammed al-Zadyn, ly their mothers, they learn to bully their future Individual attitudes can evolve. In Uganda,
who advises the governor of Basra, a southern city, Bride price, a more widespread practice, is also wives. They may also internalise the idea that which has seen five violent changes of government
on tribal affairs. “The last gun battle was the day destabilising. In half of countries, marriage com- might makes right, and apply it in the public since independence and invaded most of its neigh-
before yesterday,” he says. The previous month he monly entails money or goods changing hands. sphere. Ms Hudson argues that if women are sub- bours, 49% of women and 41% of men tell poll-
had helped resolve a different quarrel, which dat- Most patrilineal cultures insist on it. Usually the ject to autocracy and terror in their homes, society sters that it is sometimes acceptable for a man to
ed back to a murder in 1995 and had involved resources pass from the groom’s family to the is also more vulnerable to these ills. beat his wife. But this rate is in decline.
tit-for-tat killings ever since. Zadyn has two bullet bride’s, though in South Asia it is typically the Yet there are reasons for optimism. Globally,
wounds in his head, inflicted after he decried trib- other way round (known as dowry). patrilineal culture is in retreat. The selective abor- In the northern district of Lira, which is still
al shakedowns of oil firms. tion of girls is declining. The male-to-female ratio recovering from a long war against rebels of the
The sums involved are often large. In Tororo at birth peaked in China and India and has fallen Lord’s Resistance Army, domestic violence is ram-
His phone rings; another feud needs mediation. district in Uganda, a groom is expected to pay his since. In South Korea, Georgia and Tunisia, which pant, says Molly Alwedo, a social worker. But it
A woman was accused of having sex outside mar- bride’s family five cows, five goats and a bit of cash, used to have highly skewed sex ratios, it has fallen is falling. She credits the real Fathers Initiative, a
riage. So far, seven people have been killed over it, which are shared out among her male relatives. As back to roughly the natural rate. project designed by Save the Children, a chari-
and five wounded in the past few days. Because a consequence, “some men will say: ‘you are my Child marriage is falling, too. Since 2000 more ty, and the Institute for Reproductive Health at
two of the slain were elders, their kin say they property, so I have the right to beat you,’” says than 50 countries have raised the legal minimum Georgetown University. It offers older male men-
must kill 10 of the other tribe to make it even. Mary Asili, who runs a local branch of Mifumi, a age of marriage to 18. Globally, 19% of women tors to young fathers to improve their parenting
Zadyn has a busy night ahead. women’s group. aged 20-24 were married by 18 and 5% by 15, and relationship skills.
according to Unicef, the un’s children’s fund, but
Clan loyalties can cripple the state. When a clan Bride price encourages early marriage for girls, that is down from 31% and more than 10% in Gary Barker of Promundo, an NGO that pro-
member gets a job in the health ministry, he may and later marriage for men. If a man’s daughters 2000. Polygyny is less common than it was, and motes such mentoring globally, says: “There’s al-
feel a stronger duty to hire his unqualified cousins marry at 15 and his sons at 25, he has on average often unpopular even where it is widespread, be- ways a cohort of men who say, wait a minute, I
and steer contracts to his kin than to improve the 10 years to milk and breed the cows he receives for cause of the harm it does to women and non-elite don’t believe in these [sexist] norms. [They see the]
nation’s health. This helps explain why Iraqi min- his daughters before he must pay up for his sons’ men. Women’s groups have pushed for bans in consequences for their mums and their sisters.” It
istries are so corrupt. nuptials. In Uganda, 34% of women are married countries such as India, Uganda, Egypt and Ni- is local dissidents, rather than parachuting West-
before the age of 18 and 7% before the age of 15. geria. erners, who make the best messengers. Mentors
And when the state is seen as a source of loot, Early marriage means girls are more likely to drop Even in rural Iraq, some sexist traditions are in do not tell young men their attitudes are toxic.
people fight over it. Iraq saw five coups between out of school, and less able to stand up to an abu- retreat. Manshad says it is no longer acceptable for They get them to talk; about what happens in
independence in 1932 and Saddam Hussein’s sive husband. men to pay blood debts by handing over a daugh- their homes and whether it is fair. Peers swap tips
takeover in 1979; since then it has invaded two ter. “It is haram [sinful],” he says, though local on how to control their anger.
neighbours, been invaded by the United States, A story from Tororo is typical. Nyadoi (not her feminists say it still goes on.
seen jihadists set up a caliphate, Kurds in effect real name) waited 32 years to leave her husband, Other trends that help include urbanisation It does not work everywhere. But a randomised
secede and Shia militias, some backed by Iran, be- though he once threatened to cut off her head and pensions. When women move to cities, they controlled trial with 1 200 Ugandan fathers found
come nearly as powerful as the government. Clear- with a hoe. He was “the kind of man who marries earn higher wages and increase their clout at home. that such efforts resulted in a drop in domestic
ly, not all this can be blamed on patriarchal clans. today, tomorrow and everyday.” She was the first Their clan ties tend to loosen, too, since they live violence. Emmanuel Ekom, a real Fathers gradu-
But it cannot all be blamed on foreigners, either. wife. When he added a third, her husband sold the surrounded by non-members. ate, used to come home drunk and quarrel until
iron sheets that Nyadoi had bought to make a new When the state provides pensions, old people morning, says his wife, Brenda Akong. Now he
Hudson and her co-authors tested the rela- roof. Perhaps he needed the cash for his new wife. no longer depend so completely on their children does jobs he once scorned as women’s work, such
tionship between their patrilineal syndrome and as collecting firewood and water. One day she
violent political instability. They ran various re- Bride price can make marriage unafford- came home and discovered him cooking dinner.
gressions on their 176 countries, controlling for able for men. Manshad in Iraq complains: l This article appeared in the International
other things that might foster conflict, such as eth- “Many young men can’t get married. It can cost section of the print edition under the headline
nic and religious strife, colonial history and broad US$10 000.” Asked if his tribe’s recent lethal dis- The cost of oppressing women — The Economist.
cultural categories such as Muslim, Western and putes over sand and vehicles might have been mo-
Hindu.

They did not prove that the syndrome caused
instability — that would require either longitudi-
nal data that have not yet been collected or natu-
ral experiments that are virtually impossible with
whole countries.

But they found a strong statistical link. The
syndrome explained three-quarters of the varia-
tion in a country’s score on the Fragile States in-
dex compiled by the Fund for Peace, a think-tank
in Washington. It was thus a better predictor of
violent instability than income, urbanisation or a
World Bank measure of good governance.

The authors also found evidence that patriarchy
and poverty go hand in hand. The syndrome ex-
plained four-fifths of the variation in food securi-
ty, and four-fifths of the variation in scores on the
un’s Human Development Index, which measures
such things as lifespan, health and education. “It
seems as if the surest way to curse one’s nation is to
subordinate its women,” they conclude.

Sexism starts at home
The obstacles females face begin in the womb.
Families that prefer sons may abort daughters.
This has been especially common in China,
India and the post-Soviet Caucasus region.
Thanks to sex-selective abortion and the neglect of
girl children, at least 130 million girls are missing
from the world’s population, by one estimate.
That means many men are doomed to remain
single; and frustrated single men can be danger-

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

OWEN GAGARE 2017 coup coalition collapses
described as a “brief window” into his life, was
THE fact that Vice-President Constantino Chi- thereby strengthening his hand. The Covid-19 Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga authored by Eddie Cross, a former opposition
wenga is contemplating challenging President pandemic has also rattled the Chiwenga faction Nyikayaramba also succumbed to Covid-19. MDC high-ranking official and MP. It is a hagi-
Emmerson Mnangagwa for the Zanu PF pres- as it eliminated some of his strongest allies such ography for Mnangagwa which depicts Chiwen-
idency at the party’s elective congress next year, as retired Leutenant-General Sibusiso Moyo, who Other casualties were retired Lieutenant-Gen- ga in negative light through its narrative.
while factions loyal to the two protagonists are was the face of the coup, after announcing the eral Martin Chedondo and retired Air Marshal
slugging it out at various levels of the party, in- military action as well as former Air Force of Zim- Sheba Shumbayawonda. In May 2019, Mnan- Cross, Mnangagwa’s biographer and new loy-
cluding at provincial and district levels, is testi- babwe commander Perrence Shiri. gagwa then appointed Sanyatwe Zimbabwe’s am- alist, said the President would brook no nonsense
mony to the fact that the 2017 coup coalition has bassador to Tanzania, while Nyikayaramba was from those threatening his grip on power, a warn-
collapsed. Mnangagwa and his supporters started push- posted to Maputo, Mozambique. ing to Chiwenga.
ing for the President to remain in charge beyond
Chiwenga, who was the Zimbabwe Defence 2023 as early as December 2018 during the rul- Chedondo was sent to China. Sanyatwe had Mnangagwa, who at the time of the coup had
Forces commander, led a military coup which ing party’s Esigodini annual conference. a personal relationship with Chiwenga to the ex- fled the country to South Africa after his men-
ousted his longtime mentor, the late former presi- tent that he flew from Tanzania to assist him fi- tor-cum-tormentor Mugabe had hounded him
dent Robert Mugabe, in November 2017, paving Prior to the push, Chiwenga and others had nalise his divorce proceedings with his wife Marry out, only returned after Chiwenga led the coup
way for Mnangagwa’s rise, on the understanding been shocked to see Mnangagwa announcing in Chiwenga nee Mubaiwa. that sent Mugabe packing. Mugabe later de-
that he would serve only one term. an interview in September 2018 during the 73rd scribed Mnangagwa as his “tormentor”.
session of the United Nations General Assembly Sanyatwe presented the Mubaiwa family with
Under the coup arrangement, Mnangagwa in New York that he would seek re-election in Chiwenga’s divorce token (gupuro), a traditional The book, which has been reported on by The
was meant to pass on the baton to Chiwenga in 2023. Mnangagwa’s power consolidation drive way of confirming that a marriage is irretrievably NewsHawks since launch, reveals that Chiweng-
2023, but no sooner had he assumed power than appeared to gain momentum following Shiri’s broken. wa’s appointment as co-deputy, together with
he started consolidating his grip by, among other death in July 2020 and Moyo’s death in January, Kembo Mohadi (who resigned early this year
tactics, purging Chiwenga’s allies, with the aim given that the two were critical political cogs in Another big blow for the Chiwenga camp was after a sex scandal), was part of Mnangagwa’s
of remaining at the helm, setting the stage for a the Chiwenga faction. Rugeje’s removal from heading Zanu PF’s critical coup-proofing ploy.
power battle between the two gladiators. mass mobilisation political commissariat. Rugeje
After Shiri’s deat, Chiwenga and his army-driv- operated in the war room during the coup. Mnangagwa appointed General Philip Valerio
Officials say the divisions and infighting, par- en faction pushed for his replacement with a per- Sibanda to succeed Chiwenga as commander of
ticularly in Masvingo, Manicaland and the Mash- son with a military background, but Mnangagwa Soon after the coup, Chiwenga arm-twisted the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Sibanda, accord-
onaland provinces during the ongoing Zanu PF appointed his ally from Masvingo, Anxious Jon- Mnangagwa to appoint Rugeje as political com- ing to the book, is “possibly the best soldier in
restructuring exercise which have been chaotic gwe Masuka. missar ahead of his preferred candidate Victor southern Africa and a man that was deeply re-
and violent, were stoked by factional infighting. Matemadanda, albeit temporarily. spected in the army”.
One of Mnangagwa’s key strategies has been
“Similarly, the recent protests by war veterans to mainly appoint his ethnic Karanga homeboys, Mnangagwa later removed Rugeje from the “Mnangagwa’s actions drew little attention,
over their living conditions and their subsequent mostly from the Midlands and Masvingo prov- position before appointing Matemadanda in but what the President was doing was closing the
arrest tells you that Mnangagwa and his backers inces, into key positions, as part of a power con- June 2019. Mnangagwa’s cumulative manoeuvres door on any possibility of the military -assisted
believe they were pushing an agenda. He is all too solidation strategy. appeared to have shifted the balance of power in transition (military coup) being repeated. He
familiar with the role played by war veterans in Zanu PF in his favour, although Chiwenga had needed to know that the security services were led
setting the stage for Mugabe’s eventual ouster in Chiwenga, Shiri and Moyo were critical in the an upper hand after the coup. by men in whom he had confidence as profes-
2017 and the reading is that the same people who planning and execution of the 2017 coup. sionals,” the book says.
mobilised them to confront Mugabe have also Chiwenga has however launched a fightback
mobilisied them against him,” a senior Zanu PF Besides being the face of the coup, Moyo was and is positioning himself to challenge Mnangag- Differences between Mnangagwa and Chiwen-
official said. one of the key architects of the operation against wa at next year’s congress. ga played out when the latter demanded that a
Mugabe and worked hand-in-glove with Chi- state of emergency — martial law — be declared
“It’s not a coincidence. War veterans last month wenga when he was in charge of the military’s The political war of attrition between Mnan- during the 2019 riots which had been triggered
also demonstrated against (Zanu PF chairman business units, which became central in building gagwa and Chiwenga recently found expression by a 150% increase in the price of fuel.
and minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Af- a war chest to execute the mission. in the President’s controversial new biography as
fairs, (Ezra) Chadzamira in Masvingo and were the internecine clashes over unresolved leadership “When it became known that a state visit to
among those who demonstrated against (Zanu After assuming power, Mnangagwa unleashed issues play out in the party ahead of its elective Russia was planned for the week beginning the
PF chairperson (Mike) Madiro in Manicaland. a wave of purges in the military, police and Cen- congress next year. 14th January 2019, disturbing intelligence was
The fighting in Midlands between a group loyal tral Intelligence Organisation targeting Mugabe received that disturbances were planned,” the
to State Security minister Owen Ncube and Zanu and former first lady Grace Mugabe’s allies, before That came as independent Norton MP Temba book reads.
PF chairman Daniel Mackenzie Ncube is seen as going for Chiwenga’s loyalists. Mliswa threw the cat among pigeons through a
a fallout between faction members rather than an public voice note message in which he disclosed Cumulatively, this has now divided the party
extension of the Mnangagwa-Chiwenga fight. Key commanders — who pivoted the coup, that Mnangagwa’s former adviser Chris Mutsvan- down the middle, leaving it regimented into two
including the commander of the Presidential gwa, leader of war veterans and a former minister, major factions led by Mnangagwa himself and
“Tensions are expected to continue rising until Guard battalion retired Lieutenant-General An- has been plotting to remove Chiwenga. Chiwenga.
next year’s congress unless Chiwenga decides not selem Sanyatwe — were removed in February
to pursue his ambition. He however feels deeply 2019 while Chiwenga was battling ill-health in He said Mutsvangwa was recorded by the late The Mnangagwa group is mainly Midlands
betrayed by Mnangagwa.” China. Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieu- and Masvingo provinces-based, while the Chi-
tenant-General Edzai Chimonyo talking about wenga one has threads cutting across different
But Chiwenga last week moved to strategically Commanders retired ahead of diplomatic as- that. regions, although its main base has roots in the
de-escalate the dramatically rising political tem- signments included former Zimbabwe National three Mashonaland provinces — Mashonaland
peratures between him and Mnangagwa, saying Army chief-of-staff retired Lieutenant-General Mnangagwa in August launched his authorised East, Mashonaland West and Harare.
his rival will be the uncontested Zanu PF candi- Douglas Nyikayaramba, who was chief-of-staff biography titled A Life of Sacrifice: Emmerson
date in the 2023 elections. responsible for service personnel and logistics. Mnangagwa, which book reviewers and political Other provinces constitute the middle ground.
analysts say exposes the widening rift between the Some of Mnangagwa’s key allies include July
The move came after Chiwenga’s top business two. Moyo — whose relations with the President are
executive ally Caleb Dengu, who has said Mnan- now touch-and-go — Owen “Mudha” Ncube,
gagwa is illegitimate and must not run in 2023, The 154-page biography, which Mnangagwa Larry Mavhima, Daniel Mckenzie Ncube, Joram
slipped out of the country to catch a breath of Gumbo, Frederick Shava, Oppah Muchingu-
fresh air in the Netherlands as the President’s ri-Kashiri, Paul Mavima, Amon Murwira, Mon-
hounds turned the heat on him, threatening him ica Mutsvangwa, Ziyambi Ziyambi, Kazembe
with a fierce backlash and financial ruin. Kazembe and unhappy battlers like Mutsvangwa,
among others.
Mnangagwa’s legitimacy as party leader is be-
ing challenged in the courts by party member Chiwenga is mainly backed by disgruntled for-
Sybeth Musengezi. Although Musengezi says he mer ministers in the party, including those now
is acting alone, his move is overwhelmingly sup- working at party headquarters, led by Zanu PF
ported by the Chiwenga faction. secretary for administration Obert Mpofu.

The defeated yet still alive Zanu PF faction — He also has the support of those with securi-
G40 — is also supporting the move. This has cre- ty backgrounds. Chiwenga’s marksman is retired
ated a convergence of forces between the Chiwen- Lieutenant-General Rugeje, who last year in July
ga camp and the dormant but resurrecting G40 challenged Mnangagwa in a Zanu PF politburo
group. Manoeuvres are underway by Chiwenga meeting over the growing divide between him
and G40 strategists to realign forces within Zanu and those who put him in power.
PF and challenge Mnangagwa head-on next year.
“The factions have now crystalised and solid-
Tenson and mistrust between Mnangagwa ified over the past three years. Most senior par-
and Chiwenga have been building up since the ty leaders have taken a position and now know
early days of the coup, as the two disagreed on where they belong, although there is big middle
cabinet and Zanu PF appointments, among oth- ground among those in the middle and lower
er decisions. The June 2018 bombing at White ranks, as well as foot soldiers,” a source said.
City Stadium in Bulawayo also increased tension
between the two leaders, which many say was tar- “This projects Zanu PF’s clan, ethnic and
geting Mnangagwa, as it was understood to be an identity politics, as well as factionalism based on
inside job. personalities, class or material interests that have
toxified and polarised Zimbabwe’s body politic
Mnangagwa wanted to appoint Oppah since 1980.”
Muchinguri his deputy, but Chiwenga demanded
the position, while initially he wanted war veteran The volatile situation is made all the more ex-
Victor Matemadanda to be appointed the Zanu plosive by the dangerous backdrop of events such
PF political commissar, but his deputy insisted as the June 2018 White City bombing in Bula-
that the position be given to his close ally retired wayo, the shooting at Rugeje’s Harare house in
Lieutenan-General Engelbert Rugeje. October last year and, most recently, the myste-
rious burning of Zanu PF senior official Patrick
Mnangagwa has, however, taken advantage of Chinamasa’s house. Chinamasa is a Mnangagwa
Chiwenga’s health woes to purge his allies from loyalist.
government and the military, often while his
deputy is seeking treatment outside the country,

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

SEVERAL key players in the 2017 coup that Some coup troopers die without
toppled the late former President Robert Mugabe enjoying benefits of their sweat
and elevated President Emmerson Mnangagwa to
the helm have died in the past four years without Late former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai Late retired Air Marshal Perrance Shiri
fully realising the fruits of the military takeover
project.

While some got rewarded, some died without
enjoying fruits of their sweat. Many more are like-
ly to die without getting anything out of it.

Others, like former prime minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, who endorsed the coup could be
turning in their graves given what Zimbabwe has
turned out to be. Perhaps Mugabe would even
laugh at the thousands of people who marched
claiming the country would be better in Mnan-
gagwa’s hands.

In his last interview with journalists at his Blue
Roof mansion in Borrowdale, Harare, in March
2018, Mugabe insisted Mnangagwa illegally se-
cured power, but was incapable of running the
country as he had no leadership and governance
capacity. Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai — the big-
gest protagonists in Zimbabwean politics since
2000 — have now died.

Mugabe was the biggest loser. Tsvangirai died
in February 2018 without much benefit, except
payment of his medical bills and securing his
Highlands house from the coup dispensation.

Robert Mugabe: Biggest loser Late former president Robert Mugabe Late retired Lt-Gen Sibusiso Moyo Late retired Lt-Gen Douglas Nyikayaramba
He was without a doubt the biggest lower. A from exile and delivered a speech at the Zanu PF ment process which eventually led to Mugabe Shiri was the Commander of the Airforce of
victim of the coup by his long-time enforcer and headquarters in Harare. Two days later, on 24 No- resigning. That is apart from marching in the Zimbabwe when the coup was unfolding. He
some of his trusted lieutenants, he died a bit- vember he is inaugurated to succeed Mugabe. streets. was out of the country when tanks rolled into the
ter man. Mugabe told journalist at his home in capital streets and seized strategic ground to seal
March 2018 that Mnangagwa had betrayed him After that it was downhill for Mugabe, who Retired Lt-Gen Sibusiso Moyo: Face of coup Mugabe’s fate. His position was, however, unclear.
and he also felt the weight of betrayal by his for- died on 6 September 2019 as a bitter man. On 15 November 2017, Moyo then a Ma- Mugabe believed Shiri was against the coup
mer allies, including Vice-President Constantino jor-General appeared on national television clad and could command a resistance force, which in-
Chiwenga. Morgan Tsvangirai: So near, yet so far in military fatigue to announce that the military cluded the police’s Support Unit, some members
Asked by journalists why he did not act timely The late former MDC-T leader, who became had moved in to remove criminals around the of the military and Central Intelligence Organisa-
and decisively to counter the coup which many a symbol of resistance against Mugabe, played a president. He denied it was a coup, but everybody tion operatives who were against the coup.
saw coming from afar, Mugabe said he could not major role in sanitising the coup alongside other knew it was. This would mark the beginning of But he joined forces with his colleagues when
imagine that Mnangagwa and Chiwenga could opposition officials and associated forces. He en- the end of Mugabe’s dictatorship and Moyo was he arrived back in the country.
betray him as they did. He said he thought if they dorsed the coup while on his deathbed in South to become the face of the military coup. After the coup, he was retired and appointed
were disgruntled, they would come and talk to Africa. In a booming voice, Moyo said: “Firstly we Agriculture minister. He reaped the benefits of
him as they had done over the previous decades. Soon after that Tsvangirai flew back into the wish to assure our nation, His Excellency, the being minister and trappings of office.
Old age, the arrogance of power and a dramatic country from South Africa on 16 November president of the republic of Zimbabwe and com- By the time of his death, he was a close ally
shift in power cost Mugabe his position. when the coup was already underway. With Mug- mander in chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forc- of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga — his
The firing of Mnangagwa on 6 November abe under house arrest, Tsvangirai’s presence and es, comrade RG Mugabe and his family, are safe old comrade, although there were once reports
2017 acted as a catalyst to the coup and triggered subsequent endorsement of the march by thou- and sound and their security is guaranteed. We of them fighting each other, amid a mysterious
his downfall. After the military took over the sands demanding the late authoritarian’s depar- are only targeting criminals around him who are shooting incident involving Shiri, and was mo-
streets and placed him under house arrest, Mug- ture was key in mobilising support against his old committing crimes that are causing social and bilising grassroots support through the command
abe made an appearance at a Zimbabwe Open nemesis and strengthening public opinion. economic suffering in the country in order to agriculture programme.
University graduation ceremony in his first public Tsvangirai also called on Mugabe to resign. bring them to justice.” Shiri died in July 2020 to Covid-19 without
appearance during the coup process. “Mr Mugabe must resign in line with national ex- Days later on 18 November, Moyo appeared seeing much of the post-coup period and being
He tried his best to resist the coup, especially pectation and sentiment in order for a transitional on the back of an army pick-up truck as thou- held accountable for Gukurahundi massacres.
during meetings with army commanders and the mechanism to take affect,” he said. sands approached the State House during a march
South African delegation on 16 November. But He, however, strategically claimed it was not a for Mugabe’s ouster, bellowing and persuading Retired Lt-Gen Douglas Nyikayaramba:
the die had been cast. coup, hoping to benefit from the putsch. people to disperse. Reluctant actor
Euphoric scenes that followed on 18 Novem- “If we are approached, we’ll participate. But for “Nyaya yamaratidza yediscipline, kuzvibata ne-
ber where thousands, if not millions, of those now it’s still speculation. Nothing has been initi- kuterera kwaratidza nyika yese kuti vanhu vemuZ- Retired Major General Douglas Nyikayaram-
who marched demanding his resignation were ated yet but I hope there will come a time when imbabwe vakafunda (You have showed discipline, ba, who died at the age of 64 in February due to
not enough to unseat Mugabe hanging onto pow- it is.” and showed the world that Zimbabweans are ed- Covid-19 complications, was one of the military
er by his fingernails. Mugabe hung on for days And of the military’s actions? ucated),” he said. generals who was against the 2017 putsch against
hoping he would last until the following month “What is a coup?,” asks Tsvangirai, “The mili- Moyo was a major player in the planning and Mugabe. Mugabe saw him as one of the possible
to choose a successor at the party’s extraordinary tary have said it’s not a coup and we believe them execution of the coup. He was in the war room, commanders in any resistance fiorce assembled.
congress that December. His first national address … we have noted their commitment to a peaceful plotting the military takeover.
flanked by security chiefs on 19 December also transition. I’m not aware of the status of Mr Mug- Unsurprisingly, he benefitted a lot from the After the coup, he was a victim of a military
further showed his resistance to the coup. abe. I know he’s safe in whatever circumstances coup. He traded his military fatigue for suits as the purge, where generals were retired. He was ap-
The infamous “Asante Sana” night was widely he’s in. If there are any negotiations taking place, new Minister of Foreign Affairs and had a mam- pointed Zimbabwean ambassador to Mozam-
viewed as the major hurdle to the coup project as then it’s between him and the military.” moth task of spearheading Zimbabwe’s re-engage- bique. He became the fourth army general to die
Mugabe reaffirmed his position as head of state The former prime minister preferred the setting ment drive until he succumbed to Covid-19 in of the pandemic after Shiri, Moyo and former
and government, Zanu PF leader, command- up of a National Transitional Authority to step in January this year. Moyo had become the face of prison boss retired Major-General Paradzai Zi-
er-in-chief, calling for unity and subsequently and govern the country, warning that a military the “new dispensation”. mondi.
saying “good night” to expectant Zimbabweans government was retrogressive. Apart from becoming a minister and the at-
who could not stomach another day under his “Under this situation, we no longer have a tendant trappings of office, Moyo also reaped a Peter Munetsi: A casualty of the coup
suffocating leadership. Before that, the Zanu PF Mugabe administration, so we need a National lot of financial rewards, particularly through his Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) se-
Central committee had swung into action on that Transitional Authority that can build a bridge be- close association with local tycoon Kudakwashe nior officer Peter Munetsi was killed during the
same day to restore Mnangagwa into the party as tween the old order of Mugabe and the new au- Tagwirei, probably the biggest beneficiary of the coup in November 2017 coup which ousted
leader pending endorsement of that decision by thorities that must be elected through a credible coup from a business and financial perspective. Mugabe. His wife Rossie demanded her late hus-
the extraordinary congress. Many party leaders vote,” he said. band’s post-mortem report and US$600 000,
were suspended or expelled. Crucially also, Tsvangirai’s MDC-T legislators Rtd Air Marshal Perrance Shiri: which proved difficult for Mnangagwa’s new gov-
That meeting is now subject to court action by played a critical role when they joined hands with Shades of grey ernment to deal with.
a Zanu PF member Sybeth Musengezi who says their Zanu PF colleagues to initiate an impeach- It is not clear how many other people died
the gathering was unconstitutional and unlawful, during the coup. — STAFF WRITER.
hence Mnangagwa is an illegal leader of the party.
On 20 November, Zanu PF gave Mugabe
an ultimatum to resign or face impeachment.
Mnangagwa released a statement urging Mugabe
to listen to the people. Mugabe refused to resign.
Impeachment proceedings commenced. Amid
all that, Mugabe resigned. Wild scenes of jubi-
lation followed. Prior to that on 17 November,
War Veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa
had returned from South Africa and held a press
conference, urging people to flood the streets and
demand Mugabe’s resignation, which they did on
18 November.
On 22 November, Mnangagwa returned home

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE Second Republic marred by
litany of unfulfilled pledges
WHEN President Emmerson Mnangagwa got
into power in 2017, a lot of promises were Despite promising to represent the will of the people, the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government has failed to deliver.
made, creating the impression that Zanu PF was
ready to give Zimbabweans a fresh start. Beitbridge; Bulawayo-Plumtree and Chitung- have lost their homes, including this year to de- country.
wiza-Harare routes. motions by the government. There are no educational loans for students
Four years later, it seems Mnangagwa is trav-
elling along the same ruinous path that the late Instead, the government has badly handled Other unfulfilled promises include provision at local institutions of learning. The Zanu PF
former President Robert Mugabe traversed. deals and failed to revamp the NRZ. What they of electricity to all rural areas, complete elimina- government has also failed to achieve gender
Ironically, the Mnangagwa faction had accused have managed to do is to bring back coaches tion of load-shedding, reduction of fuel prices equality, starting with the executive, cabinet and
Mugabe of failing to properly run the country. used during the colonial era. and tollgate fees and other motor vehicle levies. cascading down to government departments.

“Give him a chance,” was the mantra of the Other promises which have turned out to be In the health sector, public medical facilities The party also said it would uplift the dig-
day, but Mnangagwa has failed to deliver even just words on paper were to build 2000 schools continue deteriorating, amid a lack of equip- nity of women, but injustice towards women
on the low hanging fruits that his government by 2023, establish at least one new hospital per ment and drugs. continues to be the order of the day, including
promised to deliver. administrative district by 2023 and deliver at to Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa.
least 1.5 million affordable housing to the peo- There is no health for all, and the country is Marry has been denied access to her children
On his return from South Africa on 22 No- ple by 2023. far from becoming a regional health tourism for almost two years. The state has also denied
vember 2017, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the hub. In fact, the elite, including Vice-President her much-needed medical attention in South
people and ensure peace and unity, but he has While there were promises that people’s Constantino Chiwenga, who is also Health Africa.
instead proved to be a dictator keen to mutilate homes would not be demolished, several people minister, still seek medical attention outside the
the constitution to ensure he entrenches power.

“I pledge myself to be your servant,” Mnan-
gagwa said among cheers.

“I appeal to all genuine patriotic Zimbabwe-
ans to come together. We work together. No-
one is more important than the other. We are all
Zimbabweans.”

People now wonder whether it was all decep-
tion and lies or that he lacks the capacity.

In March 2018, Mnangagwa said: “It is my
view that if we are all united and if all of us feel
we are patriotic to our own country and if we
have channels where we vent our grievances,
there is no need of firing rockets at govern-
ment institutions. I think that there are chan-
nels where one can vent one’s concern or com-
plaint. I am going to make sure that barrier is
removed”.

During his acceptance speech on 24 Novem-
ber 2017, Mnangagwa also preached tolerance
and diversity, but in power he has presided over
arrests, abductions and victimisation of dissent-
ers. Six people were killed on the streets of Ha-
rare in August 2018 and 17 more were killed in
January 2019 during demonstrations.

“Here at home, we must, however, appreciate
the fact that over the years, our domestic poli-
tics had become poisoned, rancorous and polar-
ising. My goal is to preside over a polity and run
an administration that recognise strength in our
diversity as a people, hoping that this position
and well-meant stance will be reciprocated and
radiated to cover all our groups, organisation
and communities. We dare not squander the
moment. At the end of the day, whatever we do
or chose to do must be intended to benefit all
our people,” Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa also made many promises on
eradicating corruption, particularly in the gov-
ernment.

However, some of his family members and
business associates continue to be named in
dodgy deals and corruption activities.

Moreover, political elites continue to evade
conviction and jail time.

“As we focus on recovering our economy, we
must shed misbehaviours and acts of indisci-
pline which have characterised the past. Acts of
corruption must stop forthwith. Where these
occur, swift justice must be served to show each
and all that crime and other acts of economic
sabotage can only guarantee ruin to perpetra-
tors. We have to aspire to be a clean nation, one
sworn to high moral standards and deserved re-
wards,” he had said in his speech.

While Mnangagwa promised that his gov-
ernment shall not flip flop on policies, investors
continue to criticise the lack of consistency, in-
cluding in terms of the ever-changing policies
around foreign currency.

This is despite Mnangagwa’s statement that:
“The bottom line is an economy which is back
on its feet, and in which a variety of players
make choices and fulfill roles without doubts
and in an environment shorn of fickle policy
shifts and unpredictability”.

The Zanu PF 2018 election manifesto also
contains a litany of unfulfilled promises.

The party promised to create jobs through
the resuscitation of closed mines such as Zis-
costeel, value-addition through entities such
as the Diamond Polishing Company, retooling
and new mining ventures and formalisation of
artisanal miners.

It also said it would capacitate the Nation-
al Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) and revamp
the railway infrastructure including the signals,
targeting the Victoria Falls-Bulawayo-Hara-
re-Mutare; Somabula-Rutenga-Chicualacuala/

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

‘Coup a harvest of empty promises’

NYASHA CHINGONO Four years after the mil-
itary coup, the Zimbabwean
WHEN Solomon Muzanenhamo (39) trudged government is still struggling
from Highfield high-density suburb to central to deliver on his promises.
Harare with a Zimbabwean flag draped around
his neck in November 2017, 15 kilometres be- tra raised the hopes of millions of unemployed Euphoria premised on the pledge of change cording to the report.
came like a stroll down his street. youths, but four years on, the mothballed econ- and a prosperous Zimbabwe engulfed the streets “Given limited social safety nets for protecting
omy is not only downsizing, but also retrenching as many hoped for the dawn of a new era in the
He was among thousands who marched the as government policies come unstuck. country’s history. the high numbers of poor, households are likely
streets of the capital city, demanding the end of to turn to negative coping strategies,” it said.
the late former president Robert Mugabe’s 37- “Today, we are witnessing the beginning of But reality quickly brought citizens down to
year rule. a new and unfolding democracy,” Mnangagwa mother earth after economic fortunes plummet- For single mothers like Faith Nyoni (29) of
gushed after returning from exile. ed in the run up to the 2018 elections. Hopley, a settlement near Harare, feeding her
As he walked into town, reminiscing wartime children has been hardest.
stories his grandfather had told him and euphoric “The voice of the people is the voice of God. Four years after the military coup that led to
scenes at Independence in 1980, Muzanenhamo No one is more important than the other. We are Mugabe’s departure, Mnangagwa is still strug- Living on vending secondhand clothes which
felt he was writing his own little piece of history. all Zimbabweans. We want to grow our economy. gling to deliver on his promises. she sometimes barter trades for maize which she
We want jobs,” he added. resells, Nyoni is struggling to earn a decent living.
Marching to remove the liberator-turned-des- Teetering on the brink of collapse, as infla-
pot, Mugabe, was the highlight of his life as a For Muzanenhamo and his friends, the be- tion is re-emerging following months of stability, “My small business does not give me much ev-
“born free”. lief was that they would finally get the jobs they Zimbabweans continue to be exposed to the va- ery month. I have to shoulder the burden of feed-
went to school for. Having studied as a chemical garies of life in a failing state, with the currency ing my child and my sick mother. Things have
Mugabe would eventually be forced to resign engineer, the 39-year-old has failed to find em- on a death spiral, according to economics profes- remained the same since we removed Mugabe.
and pave way for his long-time mentee, President ployment. Employment opportunities abroad sor Steve Hanke. The way things are, it is as if we never changed
Emmerson Mnangagwa, whom he had fired ear- have also been elusive as he failed to raise enough a president. Our leaders should look out for us,”
lier that month. money for conversion examinations and SAT ex- The Zimbabwe dollar continues losing ground she said.
aminations that allow African graduates to work against the US dollar, with the parallel mar-
Having known only one leader his entire life, and study abroad. ket rate ranging between US$1:ZW$175 and With no history of coups, Zimbabwe had a
Muzanenhamo was hopeful that his life would US$1:ZW$200, with economists warning the bloodless military takeover that lasted one week
instantly change. It felt like independence for a “I thought life was going to change but it is local currency is in peril. in 2017, events that shocked the world with
man who had never held a payslip in his 35 years getting worse. The friends I marched together Mnangagwa emerging as President.
living in Zimbabwe. Four years down the road, with have all left for South Africa. I am stuck here According to the World Bank, over half of
he finds himself in the same predicament. and, from the look of things, the government has Zimbabwe’s population have plunged into hun- Orchestrated by the military chief, Constan-
no plan,” he lamented. ger since the Covid-19 pandemic began. tino Chiwenga, who became vice-president, the
Living on menial jobs to take care of his wife Zimbabwean coup was rubber stamped by citi-
and three children, he thought life would take a Weary of Mugabe and his ruinous economic “The number of extreme poor is expected to zens, opposition parties and civil society.
dramatic turn for the better. and political policies, Zimbabweans were opti- remain at 7.9 million in 2021 amid continued
mistic. elevated prices, and a slow recovery of jobs and However, long after the euphoria has died
“I thought a new day had come,” he told The wages in the formal and informal sectors,” ac- down, Zimbabweans continue to be haunted by
NewsHawks. the events of November 2017.

“There was a sense of independence, I cannot
explain the feeling. I felt like suddenly I held the
key to my own destiny,” Muzanenhamo added.

The 39-year-old said: “I remember we walked
all the way to town with a bunch of friends and
other people who were as excited as we were. The
excitement was palpable and I had never felt so
much unity among my fellow countrymen. We
all wanted one thing. We wanted Mugabe to go.
He was the only person standing between me and
my desired future.”

Four years later, he regrets ever believing that
Mnangagwa was Godsent.

Mnangagwa, viewed by some as a pragmatic
leader and different from Mugabe, returned from
exile in South Africa promising heaven on earth
to long-suffering Zimbabweans.

His rhetoric struck resonated with the wishes
and aspirations of citizens. Even some sections of
the international community was impressed as he
struck a reconciliatory tone. He gave his ministers
100 days to turnaround key sectors of the econo-
my. Zimbabweans dared to believe.

His “Zimbabwe is open for business” man-

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

THIS speech was delivered by President Em- Mnangagwa’s speech at Zanu PF
merson Mnangagwa’s at Zanu PF Headquar- headquarters on arrival from SA
ters on arrival from South Africa on 22 No-
vember 2017. President Emmerson Mnangagwa (wearing blue suit) delivers a speech at Zanu PF headquarters upon his arrival from South Africa on 22 November 2017.

The people of Zimbabwe, you who are gath- is gone, I'm going to make my formal speech on I pledge myself to be your servant. I appeal to Hama dzangu, nhema dzakataurwa dzakawa-
ered here to receive me, may l say in the name of Friday around 10 o'clock. I also wish to mention all genuine patriotic Zimbabweans to come to- nda zvikanzi topwanya musoro zinyoka iri, han-
our Lord, l thank you for receiving me. the manner in which the Speaker of Parliament gether. dizive kuti musoro wapwanyiwa ndewani. Mwari
handled the process. ari kumusoro uko ndiye anoziva, ndiye anotun-
Exactly 16 days ago, l received a letter firing We work together no one is more important gamirira nyika yake, ndiye anoda vanhu vake. Van-
me from government of the Republic of Zimba- He was under tremendous pressure from the than the other. We are all Zimbabweans. hu vake vachinge vataura sekutaura kwamaita imi,
bwe as vice-president. Within two hours, l was powers that were at the time, but he stood his Mwari ataura. Vanenge vane njere tererai zvinoda
informed about plans to eliminate me. constitutional rights as Speaker. l applaud him We want to grow our economy, we want peace vanhu, upenyu hwenyu hunowedzegwa munyika
for that. The intension to derail this process, that in our country. yevatema. Ndinokutendai nekushinga nekutsunga
Realising that on the 12th of August this year, l intension was intense, but as said, the will of the kwamaita.
was subjected to poisoning which resulted in my people will always succeed. We want jobs. We need also cooperation of
being airlifted to South Africa and again l thank our neighbours in Sadc. We we need corporation Musi wechishanu vakawanda vavimbisa
you, the people of Zimbabwe, for your prayers Vanenge vasingadi vachagara vachingovukura. of the continent of Africa and we need corpora- vachange vanesu tichiita basa rekupedzisira rekuza-
that l survived that poison. This time around, l Vanenge vachingovukura, chitima cheZanu PF tion of our friends outside the continent that we dzisa pamutemo kuti tive naPresident wedu muts-
said to myself l should not wait for them to elim- chichingoenda, chichingoenda, muchingotonga shall achieve. I am already receiving messages of va.
inate me, but let me go out and with you the peo- muchingotonga vachingovukura. cooperation, support for us to grow our econo-
ple of Zimbabwe, the people of Zanu PF, make my.
your voice heard.

Today, this evening, l feel so humbled that you
have remained here until this hour at our head-
quarters waiting for me, that you see me and l
see you.

The G40 cabal had captured the executive and
the person of our president. Orders were now
coming not from the executive, from people out-
side the executive to be implemented in govern-
ment and to run government, but the people of
Zimbabwe, yourselves, have refused.

I think you have heard or read my letter which
I sent to his Excellency asking the President
Mugabe, to say “Mr President, the people have
spoken, you yourself said if the people say I must
step down you shall comply this is the time to
comply,” because the voice of the people is the
voice of God.

Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new
unfolding democracy in our country. I wish also
to thank the manner in which our defence forces
under the leadership of General Chiwenga have
been able to manage this process very peacefully.
I was in constant contact with the service chiefs
throughout and may l also inform you that in my
discussions with some heads of state, including
spending today about one-and-a-half hours with
President Zuma, also president of Namibia, the
former president of Tanzania Kikwete and others,
they hailed the discipline and the peacefulness of
the people of Zimbabwe. They are saying the way
you have managed this process makes Sadc proud
not only on this continent but worldwide.

May l thank my colleagues led by Cde Mpo-
fu in the politburo, who systematically consti-
tutionally processed the process which led to a
point where former president Mugabe signed to
say “I now step down”.

He is now the former president of the Repub-
lic of Zimbabwe.

I, with great respect and humility and pro-
found gratitude to my colleagues, the central
committee and politburo applaud the manner in
which they constitutionally processed the resolu-
tions which persuaded this moment to come by.

Currently, also before I conclude, because time

Mnangagwa’s acceptance speech: Zim back to business

THIS is the Acceptance Speech delivered by creed, religion, tribe, totem or political affiliation. synonymous with the decolonisation processes in at hand is that of rebuilding our great country. It
the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Let me at this stage pay special tribute to one our Southern African region. principally lies with none but ourselves.
Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa at his
inauguration at the National Sports Stadium of, and the only surviving father of our nation, We honour him, as indeed we remember all his I implore you all to declare that NEVER
on 24 November 2017. Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe. He led us in our colleagues now departed. The statesmen who are AGAIN should the circumstances that have put
struggle for national independence, and assumed with us today show a story of succession which Zimbabwe in an unfavourable position be al-
Fellow countrymen, I feel deeply humbled by responsibilities of leadership at the formative and speaks well of our continent. It is a narrative that lowed to recur or overshadow its prospects. We
the decision of my Party, Zanu PF, inviting me very challenging time in the birth of our nation. must get bolder and bolder as generations hand must work together, you, me, all of us who make
to serve our great nation, the Republic of Zimba- That is to be lauded and celebrated for all times. over to succeeding ones, all in amity. up this nation.
bwe, in the capacity of President and Command-
er-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Whatever errors of commission or omission In acknowledging the honour you have be- Ours is a great country, endowed with rich
with effect from today. that might have occurred during that critical stowed upon me, I recognise that the urgent tasks resources and abounding in many opportunities
phase in the life of our nation, let us all accept and that beckon will not be accomplished through for everyone who considers it home. Whilst I am
I admit that I hold no particularly unique qual- acknowledge his immense contribution towards speeches, necessary as these may be. aware that emotions and expectations might be
ifications that set me apart from the deep pool of the building of our nation. high and mixed, I have no doubt that over time,
able citizens of our party and land, who otherwise I have to hit the ground running to make sure we will appreciate the solid foundation laid by my
could have been chosen to occupy this onerous of- To me personally, he remains a father, men- that I lead in stupendous efforts we all need to predecessor, against all manner of vicissitudes, to-
fice. But even as I make constant reference to my tor, comrade-in-arms and my leader. We thus say summon and unleash in concert, towards taking wards building an educated, enlightened, skilled
party, Zanu PF, I am not oblivious of the many thank you to him and trust that our history will this great nation beyond, where our immediate and forgiving society. This is a formidable head-
Zimbabweans from across the political, ethnic grant him his proper place and accord him his de- past President left it. For close to two decades start we draw from our past, a plinth upon which
and racial divide who have helped make this day served stature as one of the founders and leaders now, this country went through many develop- to build developments in the present and to erect
and who thus have legitimate expectations from of our nation. ments. While we cannot change the past, there is hopes for the future.
the office I now occupy. The decision of my party a lot we can do in the present and future to give
is merely for purposes of political identification, Let me also recognise in a very special way the our nation a different, positive direction. Fellow Zimbabweans, as we chart our way
as I intend, nay am required, to serve our country presence in our midst of senior statesmen of our forward, we must accept that our challenges as a
as the President of all citizens regardless of colour, region and continent, led by His Excellency for- As we do so, we should never remain hostag- nation emanate in part from the manner in which
mer President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia. es to our past. I thus humbly appeal to all of us we have managed our politics, both nationally
that we let bygones be bygones, readily embrac- and internationally, leading to circumstances in
He remains the only living member of the ing each other in defining a new destiny. The task
foundational Frontline States grouping which is

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

which our country has undeservedly been per- President Emmerson Mnangagwa delivers his acceptance speech at the National Sports Stadium on 24 be any doubt to our intensions to Sadc, itself the
ceived or classified as a pariah state. November 2017. fount of our foreign policy.

However, given our historical realities, we wish choices will have to be made to attract foreign di- rewards. That will have to stop. As we journey outward from our Sadc house,
the rest of the world to understand and appreciate rect investment to tackle high levels of unemploy- A new culture must now inform and animate we fully realise that we belong in the bigger house
that policies and programmes related to land re- ment while transforming our economy towards and family, the African Union. Whilst we were not
form were inevitable. the tertiary. The many skilled Zimbabweans who our daily conduct. Our offices must speedily an- free at the birth of the OAU which championed
have left the country over the years for a variety of swer questions and generate solutions awaited by the total liberation of the entire African continent
Whilst there is a lot we may need to do by way reasons must now come into the broad economic our customers, be they our citizens or well-mean- from colonialism, we were creatures of sterling
of outcomes, the principle of repossessing our land calculus designed for our recovery and take off. Of ing outsiders who want to join in the recovery of efforts of the OAU through its Liberation Com-
cannot be challenged or reversed. course, the physical and social infrastructure must our economy. Flexibility must be built into our mittee which was based in the sister Republic of
be repaired and expanded to position our country operations so the machine of government does Tanzania, and of course through the Frontline
Dispossession of our ancestral land was the fun- in readiness for economic growth, employment not become one huge, ponderous stumbling block States which hosted and coordinated the libera-
damental reason for waging the liberation strug- creation, equity, freedom and democracy, and to decisions that must be made and communicat- tion struggles in southern Africa, including our
gle. It would be a betrayal of the brave men and for the provision of vital social goods, principally ed expeditiously. The culture in government just own in Zimbabwe.
women who sacrificed their lives in our liberation health, shelter, clean water, education and other has to change, unseating those little “gods” idly sit-
struggle if we were to reverse the gains we have key social services. ting in public offices, for a busy, empathetic civil The African Union, itself the sequel to the
made in reclaiming our land. service that Zimbabwe surely deserves. OAU, is our natural home and collective resource
Our quest for economic development must as Africans. Zimbabwe pledges its untrammelled
Therefore, I exhort beneficiaries of the land re- be premised on our timeless goal to establish and Recognising the pivotal role that exports play membership, and declares here and now that it
form programme to show their deservedness by sustain a just and equitable society firmly based in generating the much-needed foreign curren- will play its role fully to make a success of the AU
demonstrating commitment to the utilisation of on our historical, cultural and social experience, cy, government will ensure relaxation of export and all its programmes. An important subset of
the land now available to them for national food as well as on our aspirations for better lives for all procedures, while vigorously ensuring the reduc- the AU is the Comesa economic group of nations.
security and for the recovery of our economy. our people. tion of all costs associated with the conduct of There we are committed to contributing meaning-
international trade. The establishment of Special fully to the realisation of the AU Agenda 2063.
They must take advantage of programmes that Our system of economic organisation and Economic Zones (SEZ) will be accelerated in the
my government shall continue to avail to ensure management will incorporate elements of a mar- order to attract investment and generate increased Zimbabwe’s journey since Independence has
that all land is utilised optimally. To that end, my ket economy in which enterprise is encouraged, exports. The maintenance of economic stability provided us with many lessons, some bigger and
government will capacitate the Land Commission protected and allowed just and merited rewards, and confidence amongst the transacting public, others so pleasant. In particular, some bigger na-
so that the commission is seized with all outstand- while gainfully interacting with strategic public the local business community and foreign inves- tions have attempted to make us bend to their
ing issues related to land redistribution. enterprises run professionally and profitably, all to tors remains key to our reform agenda. To this dictates, working feverishly to confine us to the
yield a properly run national economy in which end, government will ensure financial sector via- pariah status. We have successfully maintained
My government is committed to compensat- there is room and scope for everyone. bility and stability as well as put in place measures good relations with the preponderant majority of
ing those farmers from whom land was taken, in that encourage savings through bank deposits and the family of nations. In truth, we never deserved
terms of the laws of the land. As we go into the The fabulous natural resources we have as a other appropriate financial instruments which to be maligned and/or economically and political-
future, complex issues of land tenure will have to country must now be exploited for the national bring fair rewards to depositors. The current bank- ly mistreated. I stand here today, to say that our
be addressed both urgently and definitely, in order good through mutually gainful partnerships with ing culture where costs are levied on depositors country is already for a sturdy re-engagement pro-
to ensure finality and closure to the ownership and international investors whose presence in our must come to an end. It contradicts the reasons at gramme with all the nations of the world.
management of this key resource which is central midst must be valued and secured.The bottom the heart of banking as a business.
to national stability and to sustained economic re- line is an economy which is back on its feet, and in As we bear no malice towards any nation, we
covery. We dare not prevaricate on this key issue. which a variety of players make choices and fulfil To reduce the high country risk perception ask those who have punished us in the past to
roles without doubts and in an environment shorn among existing and prospective investors, gov- consider their economic and political sanctions
Events leading to this historic day attest to the of fickle policy shifts and unpredictability. ernment will henceforth ensure that its domestic against us.
fact that we are a unique nation, one which is clear and external debt obligations are serviced to the
about what it wants as well as what it does not Only that way can we recover this economy, satisfaction of its lenders and creditors. This will Whatever misunderstandings may have subsist-
want. create jobs for our youths and reduce poverty apply to the whole of government, including local ed in the past, let these make way to a new be-
for all our people who must witness real, positive authorities and state-owned enterprises. ginning which sees us relating to one another in
Ordinarily, many nations, including those in changes in their lives. multi-layered, mutually beneficial ways as equal
the developed world, would not have ended with In addition, my government will also proac- and reciprocally dependent partners. In this global
the sort of outcome we celebrate today. Credit In the immediate, the liquidity challenges tively curb externalisation of foreign currency and world, no nation is, can or need be an island, one
goes to every Zimbabwean and my predecessor which have bedevilled the economy must be tack- smuggling of goods. The country’s border man- unto itself. Isolation has never been splendid or vi-
who invested a lot towards a peaceful resolution led head-on, with real solutions being generated as agement and control systems will be strengthened. able; solidarity and partnership are and will always
of the challenges of the situation that had risen. a matter of urgency. People must be able to access be the way.
their earnings and savings as and when they need I intend to approach security issues from a
From events preceding this occasion, we stand them. broad human, physical and social perspective. We are ready to embrace each and all, on prin-
apart as a unique nation driven by impulses of mu- All citizens must feel secure and enjoy a sense of ciples of mutual respect and common humanity.
tual tolerance, peace and unity which we have dis- As we focus on recovering our economy, we belonging in the land. All activities that the na- We will take definite steps to re-engage those na-
played in the past few weeks not withstanding our must shed misbehaviours and acts of indiscipline tional security institutions aim to achieve must be tions who have had issues with us in the past.
diverse political persuasions. This is a wonder to which have characterised the past. Acts of cor- focused on overall human security from disease,
the world, indeed a proud page we have added to ruption must stop forthwith. Where these occur, hunger, unemployment, illiteracy and extreme Equally, we will take measures to ensure that
the science of conflict resolution and settlement. swift justice must be served to show each and all poverty. we acknowledge and begin to show commitments
That peace and harmony should be characteristic that crime and other acts of economic sabotage towards settling our debts. Of course, our resourc-
of how we relate to one another before, during and can only guarantee ruin to perpetrators. We have This shall necessarily entail that we pay equal es remain sparse, especially at this stage when we
after the 2018 harmonised elections which will be to aspire to be a clean nation, one sworn to high attention to all these areas over and above enhanc- face a myriad of pressures, but we count on the
held as scheduled. moral standards and deserved rewards. ing the capabilities of our security services so that goodwill of those we owe to give us a chance. We
they are able to deal decisively with any and all remain committed to honouring the debts and to
Today the Republic of Zimbabwe renews itself. On these ideals, my administration declares full threats, whether existing or emerging. These in- enter into new relationships.
My government will work towards ensuring that commitment, warning that grief awaits those who clude threats to our vital economic interests and
the pillars of the state assuring democracy in our depart from the path of virtue and clean business. objectives. Above all, all foreign investments will be safe in
land are strengthened and respected. We fully re- our country and we will fully abide by the terms
affirm our membership to the family of nations, To our civil servants, it cannot be business as Today the Republic of Zimbabwe enters the of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protec-
and express our commitment to playing our part usual. You now have to roll up your sleeves in second phase of its birth. We emerge to fully af- tion Agreements which we have concluded with a
in all regional, continental and international or- readiness to deliver. firm our belonging to the family of nations. We number of nations. I ask you to join us in exploit-
ganisations and arrangements in order to make harbour no ill and belligerent intentions against ing our potential to make a difference in the lives
our modest contribution towards a prosperous We have an economy to recover, a people to any other nation. The Southern African Develop- of our people.
and peaceful world order. serve. Each and every one of us must now earn ment Community (Sadc) is our home; we found-
their hour, day, week and month at work. Gone ed it from its beginning we re-commit ourselves The United Nations is the home of all the na-
We subscribe and affirm the principle where all are the days of absenteeism and desultory applica- to furthering its vision and ideals. There can never tions on this planet. We will contribute to the
nations of the world are equal and sovereign part- tion, days of unduly delaying and forestalling de- overall thinking and management of world affairs.
ners working towards the maintenance of world cisions and services in the hope of extorting dirty Our plain talk arises from our deep convictions
peace as collectively cherished under the United and desire to help build world peace. These should
Nations Charter. never be mistaken for ill-will.

Here at home, we must, however, appreciate the We join the rest of the continent in calling for
fact that over the years, our domestic politics had reforms in the UN system so the world body be-
become poisoned, rancorous and polarising. My comes truly representative and thus commands
goal is to preside over a polity and run an adminis- universal respect. Zimbabwe will continue to con-
tration that recognise strength in our diversity as a tribute to international peace and security, urging
people, hoping that this position and well-meant for the granting of full statehood and freedoms to
stance will be reciprocated and radiated to cover the Palestinian and Saharawi people. Let us, to-
all our groups, organisation and communities. We gether, honestly address the sources of instabilities
dare not squander the moment. At the end of the and terrorism in many parts of the world, all with-
day, whatever we do or chose not to do must be in the framework of, and under the banner of the
intended to benefit all our people. United Nations.

Above all, we must always remember and real- I wish to thank all of you here and elsewhere,
ise that we hold and run this country in trust. It who wished us a peaceful transition, even as this
belongs to future generations whose possibilities nearly seemed doubtful. For the time that I shall
must never be foreclosed or mortgaged as a result be President of Zimbabwe, I solemnly promise
of decisions of expediency we might selfishly make that I shall to the best of my ability serve everyone
today out of fear of difficult choice and decision who calls or considers Zimbabwe as their home.
that have to be made. I encourage all of us to remain peaceful, even as
preparations for political contestations for next
The values of unity and peace cherished by all year’s harmonised elections gather momentum.
Zimbabweans are the enduring foundations for The task before us is much bigger than compet-
the desired goal of development, itself the third ing for political office. Let us all play our part to
pillar of the trinity of unity, peace and develop- rebuild this great country.
ment espoused by my party, Zanu PF.
May God bless our land and our nation.
Our economic policy will be predicated on our I thank you.
agriculture which is the mainstay, and on creat-
ing conditions for an investment-led economic
recovery that puts a premium on job creation. Key

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Reminiscing on the Nov 2017 coup

l

2

1. The then Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga
returns from China just before the coup. 2. Chiwenga vows to restore legacy by adhering to
the constitution. 3. The then Zanu PF spokesperson , the late Simon Khaya Moyo, reads a
letter dismissing Pesident Emmerson Mnangagwa from the post of Vice-Presidency. 4. Ma-
jor-General Sibusiso Moyo, who later became Foreign Affairs minister, announces coup
on state television. 5. Security service chiefs meet the then president Robert Mugabe at his
Blue Roof mansion in Harare. 6. Mugabe reads a speech to the nation while under house
arrest, but refuses to resign.

4

3
6

5

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 57, 19 November 2021 7

7. Zimbabweans flood the streets and march with soldiers in support of the military
coup; 8. Parliamentarians celebrate Mugabe’s resignation at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Ha-
rare ; 9. The coup unites citizens, who suddenly become hopeful; 10. President Emmerson
Mnangagwa delivers a speech upon his return from South Africa; 11. Mnangagwa and First
Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa arrive at the National Sports Stadium for his inauguration.

8

9

l1
l0

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Zim must push exports through
continental free trade: Chizema

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (left), Nigerian President Mahammadu Buhari (middle) and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (right) at the Intra-African Trade Fair in Durban.

BERNARD MPOFU Nyanza Light Metals CEO Donovan Chimhandamba (right) with his COO Rob Mhishi at the Intra-Afri- Ramaphosa, Zimbabwean President Emmerson
Mnangagwa, Nigerian President Muhamma-
AFRICAN Union chief technical adviser in can Trade Fair in Durban du Buhari, former Nigerian president Olusegun
the department of trade and industry Rongai Obasanjo, who is also the chairperson of the In-
Chizema says Zimbabwe should push exports over US$2.5 trillion created under the AfCFTA. investment. Attendees were able to see 1 100 ex- tra-African Trade Fair Advisory Council and sev-
through the African Continental Free Trade Area In Durban, Afreximbank signed a US$1.04 hibitors showcasing their goods and services, while eral other leaders, business executives, investors
(AfCFTA) as part of its economic recovery and business-to-business and business-to-government and exhibitors were there.
growth agenda. billion facility with the Nigerian National Petro- exchanges provide opportunities for further deals,
leum Corporation to finance the exploration of business matchmaking and networking. Ramaphosa said at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli
Commenting on the issue in the context of the petroleum. Afreximbank president and chairper- International Convention Centre in Durban,
Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) in Durban son Benedict Oramah said the bank will invest African countries brokered deals worth US$32 venue of the event, the trade fair aspires to create
this week, Chizema, a Zimbabwean, said the US$40 billion to boost trade activities within the billion at the inaugural IATF2018 summit held a single market for goods and services across 55
country could benefit through exports channelled African continent in the next five years. in Cairo, Egypt, in 2018. At least 30 Zimba- countries, ensuring a market of as much as 1.2
to the AfCFTA. bwean business entities and corporate executives billion people with a combined GDP of US$2.5
IATF 2021, which was initially supposed to be attended the Durban trade fair, including CBZ trillion. Mnangagwa told journalists in Durban
“We need to push our exports into the Af- held in Rwanda, is expected to attract over 10 000 Bank chairperson Marc Holtzman, Pacific Cig- that he found the trade fair “excellent”.
CFTA. I’m sure we are stereotyped since inde- attendees from across Africa, with US$40 billion arette Company chair Adam Molai and Nyanza
pendence that the European markets are more of trade and investment deals set to be concluded Light Metals chief executive Donovan Chimhan- South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle
rewarding. Back then in the 1990s, Zimbabwe at the event, meaning the conference offers unri- damba, among others. Heads of state and govern- Zikalala said the fair will create 1 200 jobs and
was among one of the top five big exporters to the valled business and commercial networking op- ment also attended. South African President Cyril contribute to the province’s economic growth.
Comesa (Common Market for East and South- portunities and will boost intra-African trade and
ern Africa) region alongside Egypt, and Kenya,” “This trade fair will serve as a unique platform
Chizema said on a public debate forum. for facilitating trade and investment information
exchange in support of increased intra-African
“We have gone through a big wave of de-in- trade and therefore it paves the way for the effec-
dustrialisation since late 1990s and it’s now catch- tive implementation of the African Continental
ing up with us. We should thus focus on the Af- Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).”
CFTA. It helps us navigate the sanctions mantra
overnight as it de-risks us politically. Government Chizema said the free trade and intra-Africa
should prioritise industrial rehabilitation.” trade areas were the new biggest hope for the con-
tinent. “Back then in the 1990s, African Develop-
The African Continental Free Trade Area was ment Bank (AfDB) had a facility code, Industry
founded in 2018, with business commencing as Rehabilitation Fund, that was hosted through the
of 1 January 2021. It was created through the Af- then Zimbabwe Investment Centre and had con-
rican Continental Free Trade Agreement among cessional rates helping companies access funding
54 of the 55 African Union nations. for industrial retooling,” Chizema said.

AfCFTA is a flagship project of the AU’s Agen- “We could prioritise this in our engagement
da 2063, a blueprint for attaining inclusive and with the AfDB and Afreximbank rather than
sustainable development across the continent over waste precious capital borrowing to defend the
the next 50 years. It aims to boost intra-Africa US$ exchange rate. We have little control over
trade by providing a comprehensive and mutu- that given that even the US does not like us. Zide-
ally beneficial trade agreement among the mem- ra, for instance, is a big threat. We should develop
ber states, covering trade in goods and services, Zimbabwe using local currencies, and afford the
investment, intellectual property rights and com- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe the full mandate to
petition policy. preside over monetary policy so as to bring back
financial sector confidence. People are not saving
The second IATF2021, from 15-21 November, because there is no credible monetary regime to
is held by the African Union, African Export-Im- cover them. We should fix those risks to unlock
port Bank (Afreximbank) and South Africa. It growth in domestic savings, and hence stronger
provides a platform for sharing trade, investment economic recovery and growth in the medium to
and market information, and enabling buyers and long-term. There is no country that has developed
sellers, investors and countries to meet, discuss using a foreign currency. It’s very uncompetitive
and conclude business deals, while offering a plat- for exporters, we all know that. AfCFTA is spe-
form for businesses to access an integrated African cialisation and competitiveness.”
market of over 1.2 billion people with a GDP of

NewsHawks News Page 17

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

BREZH MALABA Itai Dzamara deserves justice

THE abduction and disappearance of Zimbabwe- in Harare’s Glen View 7 high-density suburb. bers. A haircut would cost US$1, they told our crew to be granted an interview. For weeks, we had
an journalist and pro-democracy activist Itai Dz- Deketeke Barber Shop has been in existence for three-member crew. Two of us sat down and re- reached out to her, with the hope of establishing
amara has remained a huge mystery for six years. 13 years, a remarkable feat for an informal busi- quested haircuts. It was a surreal experience—re- contact and building much-needed trust. Her first
ness in a city where such tuckshops are routinely ceiving a haircut in the same shop where Dzamara response was brusque and dismissive. “These days
On 9 March 2015, Dzamara was dragged out of demolished by ruthless police and the municipal was snatched six years ago, never to be seen again. I’m not interested in interviews.” With that short
a barber shop in Harare’s Glen View 7 high-densi- authorities. Sitting in that makeshift cabin, it was difficult to sentence, she could have easily stopped us dead
ty suburb by five men in plain clothes, handcuffed Dzamara, the outspoken journalist and govern- avoid the inescapable truth: that what happened in our tracks and torpedoed any attempt to dig
and bundled into a white truck. He has never been ment critic, was abducted at this very to Dzamara can happen to anyone. deeper into an enforced disappearance which has
found. Six years on, his abduction, in broad day- barber shop on Monday 9 March He is a journalist, a human rights come to symbolise Zimbabwe’s tragic record of
light and in a busy urban area, remains a fright- 2015. He had come for a haircut. The Special activist, a social justice advocate, a state-sanctioned human rights violations.
ening mystery in a country described by Amnesty barber who witnessed the shocking father, a husband, a brother and a
International as one of the most hostile environ- spectacle when five men stormed the Report Zimbabwean. If his enforced dis- After weeks of cajoling, she relented. In
ments for journalists and human rights defenders shop and falsely accused Dzamara of appearance does not matter at all, mid-September, with Harare’s tree-lined roads
in Africa. stealing cattle before bundling him then it means the life of every citi- transforming into a riot of colour as the majestic
into a double-cab truck and speeding off is no zen is worthless. Jacaranda trees began blooming in all their glory,
Before his abduction, Dzamara had repeatedly longer working at the shop. Anyone who seeks to fully understand the Dz- Mutukudzi finally opened up to our news crew. “I
been beaten up and harassed by state agents for Our news crew entered the shop on a hot amara case must speak to his wife, Sheffra Mu- will grant you an interview.”
demanding the resignation of long-time author- Saturday afternoon and found two young bar- tukudzi. However, it was not easy for our news
itarian ruler Robert Mugabe, who had been in On a sweltering afternoon, we met Mutukudzi
power for 35 years. After founding the Occupy outside a shopping mall in central Harare. The
Africa Unity Square movement, he was often seen streets were bustling with cars and pedestrians.
in Africa Unity Square in central Harare, wielding Nothing unusual. But it became apparent she
placards in solo protest. Stunned onlookers would would not feel comfortable sitting in a public
shake their heads in disbelief, amazed by his cour- space and discussing the horrors her family has
age in confronting a regime notorious for torture been subjected to. Zimbabwe’s traumatised society
and mass murder. has been governed by fear for four decades. There
is a terrifying belief that spies are everywhere. We
The Dzamara case is important because as long had to think fast. The solution was simple enough:
as Zimbabwe’s ruling elites continue intimidating, we would interview her while driving leisurely
abducting and torturing journalists and human around the central business district. She agreed
rights defenders without repercussion, the impu- and, thanks to the relative privacy of darkly tinted
nity can only worsen. It also brings into question car windows, began narrating her heart-rending
the commitment to democracy and human rights story.
by President Emmerson Manngagwa’s govern-
ment, four years after the dramatic ouster of long- “I’m tired of granting interviews to people who
time ruler Robert Mugabe. only remember us during the anniversary of my
husband’s abduction. We have been reduced to a
Zimbabwe adopted a new national constitution forgotten thought. If we’re lucky, people remem-
in 2013. The supreme charter was supposed to ber us once a year, but for the rest of the time
usher in a new era of good governance, democracy we don’t exist. It’s as if everyone forgets that Itai
and civil liberties. has children and a family,” she said calmly. Dz-
amara’s son Nokutenda is 13 years old this year
Professor Jonathan Moyo, who was minister of and daughter Nenyasha is nine. They were aged
Information when Dzamara was made to disap- seven and three respectively when their father was
pear, said the 9 March 2015 abduction and the abducted.
military coup of 15 November 2017 which top-
pled long-time president Robert Mugabe are so The children deserve a bright future, she em-
far “the worst blights on the 2013 constitution”. phasised. “At times people ask me whether I’ve
Moyo is now exiled, having fled the country been getting money from organisations following
under a hail of bullets during the coup. He has my husband’s abduction. I don’t get a cent. I must
concluded that these two events — Dzamara’s ensure that these children don’t suffer in future.”
2015 abduction and the 2017 military coup —
are “reminiscent of the hideous evils” of Mugabe’s After we navigated through Harare’s labyrinth
authoritarian “First Republic” era. The “Second of busy one-way streets, our first interview with
Republic”, under the leadership of President Em- Dzamara’s wife came to an end. She asked to be
merson Mnangagwa, who rose to power on the dropped off near a commuter omnibus pick-up
back of the coup, has been lamented by human point. Two days later, we had our second inter-
rights campaigners as a continuation of Mugabe’s view.
murderous rule.
After picking her up in central Harare, we
On 9 March 2021, on the sixth anniversary drove to a multi-media studio. Her countenance
of the abduction, the United States embassy in appeared more relaxed this time around, until she
Harare tweeted: “Today marks 6 years since Itai dropped a bombshell: she was uncomfortable with
#Dzamara’s forced disappearance. We continue to a video interview, for security reasons. She eventu-
call on the GOZ [government of Zimbabwe] to ally agreed to meet us halfway: the video interview
investigate his abduction fully & to bring to ac- would go ahead, but she would not take off her
count those responsible. We stand with his family face mask.
and all Zimbabweans who exercise their freedoms
of expression and peaceful assembly.” Mutukudzi said her husband’s enforced disap-
pearance turned life upside-down for the family.
Exactly 16 minutes after the US embassy tweet,
President Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George
Charamba, replied on the same social media plat-
form: “They (the Americans) really look after their
poodles!” Those few words summarise the Zim-
babwean authorities’ attitude towards Dzamara’s
enforced disappearance.

Remarkably, conclusive information on Dz-
amara’s fate remains elusive, despite the offer of a
US$10 000 reward — quite a fortune in an im-
poverished economy, whose average monthly sala-
ry barely exceeds US$120.

Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono,
who has been repeatedly arrested by the authori-
ties for his work, said the unsolved Dzamara case
“brings dejection to journalism as a profession”.

“One of you can just be taken, just like that,
and be made to disappear and it ends like that.
This is a young man who left a family, he left a wife
and two kids. There are economic issues around
that; who’s going to take his kids to school? He
also lost his brother who was an activist, so it’s a
tragic story. For me as a Zimbabwean, the most
tragic thing about Itai’s story is that citizens have
just moved on like nothing has happened. Until
citizens use their agency to put pressure on the
state when something like this happens, the state
will continuously do it because there are no reper-
cussions, there’s no consequence for doing so.”

Abducted — 9 March 2015 Deketeke Barber Shop in Glen View 7, where Itai Dzamara was abducted.
The point of departure for our news crew was a
blue makeshift cabin with a corrugated iron roof

Page 18 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

She is convinced he was abducted by the state. All Sheffra Mutukudzi, Itai Dzamara’s wife, holds up a petition addressed to President Mnangagwa. Mubaiwa, a Form Three student in 2015, said she
the objective facts pointed to that: the constant bought the cellphone line from a street vendor in
surveillance he was subjected to; the brutal assaults age. In 2015 — the year of Dzamara’s abduction trance, a man came to his car and claimed he was Kwekwe. She said the line was rejecting airtime re-
at the hands of police; the make-believe official in- — he was using the vehicle. But he denied ever from military intelligence. The man gave Patson charge, resulting in her disposing it at Palm Court.
vestigation into his disappearance; the refusal to driving to Harare’s Glen View suburb, where Dz- a picture purportedly depicting a blindfolded Itai She denied any knowledge of Dzamara.
reveal Dzamara’s fate, even after president Robert amara was snatched by unknown men. in captivity. Patson went public with this picture,
Mugabe was toppled in the 2017 military coup. posting it on social media. Kwaramba says when Another difficult lead
“I never drove to Glen View. I remember going Patson publicised the picture, the police sum- As far as the police were concerned, Patson’s en-
Every year, Mutukudzi writes a letter to Presi- to Budiriro some time back, not Glen View,” said moned both Patson and himself to come and ex- counter with the anonymous informant did not
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa, asking him to pro- Moyo. The police have never explained why they plain what they were trying to achieve. appear to yield actionable intelligence.
vide answers on the fate of her husband. He has never found it necessary to follow up on this lead, For starters, the man who claimed to be a
never replied. “When he came to power, our fam- despite being given the vehicle registration num- “Police said they were concerned with Patson’s member of the military was unknown to Patson,
ily thought Mnangagwa would help us with infor- ber by Dzamara’s wife. decision to go public with that picture, saying it meaning his identity would remain shrouded in
mation on my husband’s whereabouts. He has not was quite a sensitive issue. The police then called mystery. Patson claimed when he visited the Unit-
bothered to reply to my letters,” Mutukudzi said. The NewsHawks sent questions to the Zimba- us (Patson and the lawyer) and we went to them. ed States he submitted the picture for forensic
bwe Republic Police but they had not responded They told us not to publicise these things before analysis.
Charles Kwaramba — Dzamara’s lawyer at the time of going to press, even after promising coming to them first so that they could conduct Kwaramba, the lawyer, explained: “Patson told
Charles Kwaramba was admitted to practice to do so. verifications because they said this was a sensitive me the picture was analysed by forensic analysts
law in Zimbabwe in 2004. He has been a partner matter.” and that they confirmed that the picture of a
at Harare law firm Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Anonymous informant blindfolded Itai was indeed authentic. However,
Makoni Legal Practitioners since 2008. In 2011, Itai Dzamara’s brother, Patson Dzamara — Kwaramba said this was a red flag. The actions Patson did not furnish me with written findings of
the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights rec- who is now deceased — was contacted by an of the police suggested that “they were more con- the forensic analysts, so even for us as lawyers we
ognised his work ethic and bestowed on him the anonymous informant who said he had informa- cerned with bad publicity than following up on couldn’t take it up.”
Lawyer of The Year accolade. We interviewed him tion on the missing journalist. He directed Patson anything”. The mystery surrounding the informant’s pic-
at his suburban office in Belvedere. to go and park outside the five-star Meikles Hotel ture of a blindfolded Dzamara is far from over.
“I have no doubt that he (Dzamara) was taken in central Harare. Patson did as told. The cellphone number used by the anony- His wife, Sheffra, is convinced the picture is
by the state. It’s my conclusion. I arrived at this As Patson waited in the hotel’s external parking mous informant to send text messages to Patson genuine. “That is definitely my husband. It’s him.
conclusion after looking at the cumulative facts.” lot, which is on the street in front of the main en- is 0778464424. The line is registered in the name I have no doubt. I know him, even with my eyes
“It’s so difficult to absolve the state. What other of Hope Mubaiwa of Palm Court in Redcliff. closed. He had a damaged toenail on one foot,
enemies would Dzamara have had who would have and when I look at that picture, I can see the dam-
wanted to kill him? He was in a daily fight with Itai Dzamara’s lawyer Charles Kwaramba aged toenail. A fake photo would not have that
the state, so the first suspect is the state. Whenever damaged toenail. That’s Itai,” Sheffra said.
a person disappears, one of the first questions you Patson’s death
can ask is: Who would have harboured any ill in- In the aftermath of Itai’s abduction, Patson
tention against this person? It’s actually a lead and became very vocal in demanding justice. On
it entails finding the persons who would have had 18 April 2016, Patson caught Robert Mugabe’s
a recent spat with the person who has disappeared bodyguards by surprise. In the National Sports
or died. In fact, no one else could have abducted Stadium, as the strongman delivered a keynote
Dzamara; he was under the constant surveillance address marking Zimbabwe’s 36th anniversary of
of the state. If any third party tried to harm him, independence, Patson — draped in the national
the state would have known because they were al- flag — stood in front of Mugabe and displayed
ways monitoring his movements.” a placard demanding the return of his brother.
“It was not a robbery. Why would anyone ab- He was arrested and brutally assaulted by state se-
duct a person who is in a barbershop? He probably curity agents for his audacious one-man protest.
had just enough money for a haircut.” It was just one of his countless encounters with
Dzamara’s lawyers successfully applied for a state-sponsored violence.
High Court order directing the police to submit On 18 November 2016, Patson was abducted
investigative reports, every two weeks, on the en- by several armed men on his way to a meeting to
forced disappearance. organise an anti-corruption protest. They drove
‘Suspicious’ vehicle him to the Lake Chivero area, about 33 kilome-
On Thursday 5 March 2015, four days before tres south-west of Harare. They tortured him,
Dzamara was abducted, his wife Sheffra spotted a held a gun to his head and warned him: “You
vehicle she described as “suspicious”, which had haven’t learnt and taken heed of how we treated
parked outside their home in Harare’s Glen View your brother and now your time to learn is upon
7 suburb. She submitted the registration number, you.” They beat him up, stripped him naked and
AAM 1732, to the police. Astonishingly, the po- left him for dead. Around 3am, a passer-by helped
lice did not follow up on this lead. him reach a petrol station. On 26 August 2020,
“Up to this day they have not disclosed to me Patson died of colon cancer. He was 34. Members
what investigations they did regarding the status of his family believe he was poisoned.
of that car. All they have done is to keep asking me Speaking at his memorial service in Mutoko on
to attend at the police station to give a statement. 26 September 2021, outspoken cleric Ancellimo
I am now really tired of giving these statements Magaya revealed that Patson was injected with
which have not borne any fruit,” said Sheffra. what is suspected to be a harmful substance.
Dzamara’s lawyer, Kwaramba, said the failure Patson himself, a few weeks before his death,
by police to investigate the vehicle feeds into the told this writer that the unidentified men had in-
suspicion that the authorities are not serious about jected him with an unknown substance.
investigating the case. In an interview, Bishop Magaya told our news
“This would have been a special lead, to estab- crew that the Mugabe government, “whose system
lish the owner of the car. And had they investigat- is still operational” under Mnangagwa’s adminis-
ed, they could have found out who was driving the tration, must be held fully responsible for Itai Dz-
vehicle on that day and so forth,” Kwaramba said. amara’s enforced disappearance.
“We were not raising this allegation recklessly; “It is very sad that he went missing in a context
we actually stated it in our affidavit to the court in which we had actually voted for a constitution
when we filed an application for contempt of that allows freedom of speech, freedom of asso-
court. Our complaint was that police were not in- ciation and freedom of expression. Itai Dzamara
vestigating this matter. They were doing nothing. went missing because of his expression and his as-
We told the court that there is this lead which they sociation. That is very sad, we really condemn that
have not followed up. But still, even after we filed in the strongest of terms.”
that application raising that allegation in the affi- “There were noises made, way back, regarding
davit, there is still no report as to what the police Itai Dzamara, but right now the voices are grow-
did in respect to that allegation.” ing fewer and fewer. So we’re saying that we should
“For us, that was an omission which was dis- never be quiet till justice happens. Wickedness of
turbing and very strange.” such levels should be condemned. We warn that it
An investigation by The NewsHawks has estab- will not go unpunished. God, one day, will actual-
lished that the vehicle in question is a silver Mazda ly ensure justice is executed,” Bishop Magaya said.
B2500 double cab. We can reveal that the AAM Police reports dry up
1732 number plate has since been replaced with Police stopped submitting their investigative re-
plate number ACB 0810. The truck is registered ports on 14 July 2016. Curiously, the police have
under the name of one Nzwiraingoni Moyo of not formally told the High Court that the investi-
Redcliff. Moyo, a chemist by profession, was a gation has hit a dead end — if that indeed is what
technical manager at Redcliff-based chemical has happened. They just stopped reporting on the
manufacturer Zimchem until 2017. It was his al- case.
located company vehicle. “This investigation was much ado about noth-
Our news crew traced Moyo, who said he ing because the state was investigating itself. I feel
stopped working for Zimchem in 2017 and is we were taken on a wild goose chase. I didn’t feel
now self-employed. He said the Mazda double that it was a serious investigation.
cab truck now belongs to him and ownership was
changed to his name as part of an executive pack-

NewsHawks News Page 19

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

“The main contention for me was that the state Itai Dzamara’s wife Sheffra Mutukudzi during the interview. lieve,” said the top official.
was being asked to investigate itself. The state was Footprints of the state
the main suspect in the matter; our court papers At the 7 March 2015 rally, Dzamara took to “To me, all the arrows point back to the state Zimbabwean police — even though tainted by
said so.” the stage and urged all pro-democracy groups to through its security apparatus protecting the per-
unite. His speech, in solidarity with the opposi- petrators. Barring a dramatic development, the selective application of the law and human rights
Kwaramba said the lack of seriousness shown tion MDC, marked a shift from his usual sporad- only certainty of getting answers is once those violations — can be ruthlessly efficient when they
by the authorities in probing the enforced disap- ic public protests to a clearly defined opposition powerful individuals and structures are no longer want. Armed robbers are relentlessly hunted down
pearance is unsettling. “It’s horrible. The impact of pedestal. in power and can be hunted down and arrested.” and even shot dead.
the Dzamara case is serious. It sends shivers down
the spine of anyone who practices human rights On Tuesday 10 March 2015, the then MDC Military Intelligence Directorate The country does not have a history of ransom
work. The realisation that I can just disappear.” president Tsvangirai issued a statement holding Writing on Twitter on 14 July 2018, former In- demands. Security experts acknowledge that al-
the government accountable for Dzamara’s abduc- formation minister Jonathan Moyo made a bold most all unsolved cases of abduction can be di-
Dirk Frey — Dzamara’s comrade tion the previous day. assertion that Dzamara was abducted by the Mili- rectly attributed to either the state or the ruling
Dirk Frey is a prominent activist in Zimba- tary Intelligence Directorate (MID). He re-tweet- Zanu PF, which both enjoy political protection
bwean civil society. He became one of the leaders “We are in no doubt as to the perpetrators of ed this on 23 August 2019. and impunity.
of the Occupy Africa Unity Square, the protest this abduction. We hold Mugabe and his regime “The MID officer who oversaw this is Brig-
movement founded by Dzamara. responsible for this morbid and senseless act,” said adier-General Mike Sango who was then CDI Wheels of death
He vividly recalls the days leading up to Dz- Tsvangirai who, from 2009 to 2013 had served as (Commander Defence Intelligence) and is now In much of Africa, double-cab trucks are used
amara’s abduction. The group was locked in cat- prime minister of Zimbabwe in a power-sharing Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Russia. Why did they as utility vehicles. They are convenient in trans-
and-mouse skirmishes with the police. The law government. do this? To build a case against President Mugabe, porting technical staff, tools and materials. The
enforcement agents — both uniformed and in as they did on 7 March 2007 with their savage vehicles are largely bland, unremarkable contrap-
plain clothes — were determined to violently en- He added: “We hold the state culpable. We attack on Tsvangirai,” wrote Moyo. tions and most people in the street would not look
sure that the protesters did not get an opportu- hold Zanu PF responsible. We demand a full in- Moyo’s claims are worth scrutinising. He was twice at a twin cab.
nity to exercise their constitutional rights to free vestigation and arrests of the culprits so that Zim- one of Mugabe’s most formidable political schem- But in Zimbabwe, double-cab trucks have a
expression, association, assembly and peaceful babweans can live in the comfort that we have a ers. sinister reputation. Journalists, human rights de-
protest. Their protests were repeatedly scuttled by government that cares and takes seriously its re- In a series of tweets, Moyo says that in the after- fenders, unionists, student leaders, opposition
truncheon-wielding policemen. Many protesters, sponsibility to protect citizens.” math of the controversial dismissal of Emmerson activists and civil society campaigners know that
including Dzamara, were injured in these attacks. Mnangagwa as Vice-President on 6 November these vehicles can transport more than just hard-
Frey recounted to our news crew the frenetic Who took Dzamara? 2017 “a lot of credible informants came forward ware tools. They are the favoured mode of trans-
activity in the days leading up to the abduction. We posed this question to one of his closest with tonnes of information implicating Mnan- port for enforced disappearances, extrajudicial
The outspoken journalist and activist was “un- allies in the Occupy Africa Unity Square protest gagwa and his cohorts in unspeakable atrocities. detentions, torture, state-sanctioned killings and
der constant surveillance”. movement, Frey. Really. This is a fact that not even an earthquake violent intimidation.
Dzamara was abducted on Monday 9 March “Given the case remains unsolved, it is impos- will ever destroy!” The number plates on these vehicles are ei-
2015. Two days earlier, on Saturday 7 March, he sible to say with any certainty. The best we can do Moyo adds: “I got to know from a high-level ther removed or obscured. In some instances, the
had addressed a rally of the opposition Movement is an educated guess. We know from the eyewit- source with access to the information; that ZDF’s trucks are outfitted with number plates taken from
for Democratic Change (MDC) at the iconic nesses at the scene that a team of five men in plain (Zimbabwe Defence Forces) Military Intelligence the scrapyard. The menace of unmarked and tint-
Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare’s Highfield town- clothes took him and handcuffed him. The bizarre Department (MID) abducted Itai Dzamara & ed twin cabs driven by armed agents of the state
ship. The venue is revered in Zimbabwe’s anti-co- accusation of cattle-rustling and the use of hand- subjected him to extreme torture like in the Guku- is not a fairy tale but a lived reality in Zimbabwe.
lonial history. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s cuffs combined with the prior surveillance makes rahundi (1980s genocide) & State of Emergency In rare instances, the abductors badly miscal-
choice of that arena for such a pro-democracy rally it highly probable these men were part of the state days. Mnangagwa, Chiwenga & Mohadi know culate by using double-cabs with genuine num-
was pregnant with political symbolism. security apparatus. Unfortunately, since the inves- about this!” ber plates. In one such instance, our investigative
“Surveillance always intensified whenever any- tigation into their identities met a stone wall, we The three men mentioned by Moyo in this journalists recently traced the number plate of
thing was going on, and he had just addressed an cannot identify them positively,” Frey said. particular tweet are: Mnangagwa, who was Act- a twin cab to Impala Car Rental, a vehicle hire
MDC rally at Highfield, so it was quite natural for “Everything from there is guesswork and the ing President at the time Dzamara was abducted; company partly owned by the Central Intelligence
the (state security) system to pile on the surveil- uncertainty whispers of the cloak-and-dagger Constantino Chiwenga, who was Commander Organisation. The Ford Ranger, registration AES
lance,” Frey says. world.” of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces back then; and 2483, had been used in the abduction and grue-
How Dzamara spooked Mugabe government Frey points out that the police never showed Kembo Mohadi, who was Home Affairs minister some torture of Tawanda Muchehiwa, a journal-
On 3 March 2015, Dzamara wrote excitedly on seriousness in investigating the abduction. in charge of the police. ism student. Muchehiwa is nephew of Mduduzi
his Facebook page about the upcoming 7 March “It seems clear that they had no interest and Moyo, a mercurial political scientist who played Mathuthu, the editor of prominent online tabloid
rally. He dubbed it the “Team New Zimbabwe in fact received clear instructions to obstruct any a key role in crafting the ruling Zanu PF’s election ZimLive and the real target of the state’s wrath
Mega Rally!!” efforts to the point that a court order had to be manifestos and key political strategy during Mug- after he had rattled the authorities by publishing
“This Saturday, I will be at the Zimbabwe obtained to force them to make a report.” abe’s days in power, says those who took Dzamara news articles on corruption. State agents abducted
Grounds in Highfield, Harare, for a mega rally or- When we asked Frey who else, apart from the would have been motivated by a political calcula- Muchehiwa on the eve of the 31 July 2020 na-
ganised by the MDC-T but specifically for laying state security apparatus, had shown any determi- tion to soil Mugabe’s image. In the militarised fac- tionwide opposition protests. For three days, he
down the agenda of collaboration and collective nation — if at all — to harm Dzamara, he said he tions of internal Zanu PF politics, Mugabe was for was subjected to horrendous torture. He has since
engagement by stakeholders and players fighting is not aware of anyone who would have harboured a long time the proverbial glue which somehow fled into exile.
for a new Zimbabwe. I am thrilled by this step, a sinister motive. kept the party relatively united. However, this Similarly, a truck was used in Dzamara’s ab-
because I have been ardently yearning and calling “All of this said, the regular, obvious and dispro- changed when the Mnangagwa faction actively duction. It was described by eyewitnesses as a
upon MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai to step portionate violence meted out on him by the state plotted against Mugabe, leading to the long-time white truck with concealed number plates. An
up, walk the talk and work on the collaboration makes this a moot point. Anyone that might con- ruler’s ouster by the military. anonymous informant later stated that the truck’s
agenda,” Dzamara wrote. ceivably want to see him harmed simply needed A senior bureaucrat told our investigation that registration number is ABG 2862. However, a
The “collaboration agenda” which Dzamara to stand back and let the state do it. There are no the initial intention behind Dzamara’s abduction search at the Central Vehicle Registry shows that
was referring to was the growing call by opposition other lines of investigation and none are necessary was not to kill him as such, but to intimidate him the number plate belongs to a white Mitsubishi
groups to close ranks and mount united opposi- or warranted,” Frey elaborated. as the security apparatus had been spooked by his Canter truck registered in the name of Ishamel
tion to Robert Mugabe’s repressive government Will mystery ever be solved? activism. Matyenyika of Harare’s Sunningdale Two suburb.
amid worsening economic hardships. The context Frey is convinced the abduction was carried out by “When they took him, it is very probable they There is a big difference between a typical twin
in which Dzamara and his colleagues were agitat- trained security personnel. just wanted to rough him up and intimidate him. cab and a 3.5-tonne Mitsubishi Canter truck.
ing for political change in Zimbabwe is crucial to “There are most certainly people that know Dzamara had been arrested and beaten up count- Matyenyika said he used to import Mitsubishi
understanding the zeitgeist of that material time. what happened to Itai Dzamara. Those who or- less times before. This time, coming soon after the trucks between 2007 and 2011 and the vehicles
The opposition MDC had outpolled the ruling ganised the abduction, ordered it and carried it big opposition rally at Zimbabwe Grounds, sec- were sold by his friend, only identified as Pastor
Zanu PF in the bloody 2008 general election, but out. An operation like that takes logistics, trained tions of the intelligence community saw Dzamara Mutyamaenza. The anonymous informant fur-
Mugabe was clinging on to power and refusing individuals, experience. This was not the first or not only as a person of interest, but also a national nished police with several other leads, including
to go. The opposition claimed the 2013 election the last time this sort of thing happened. The security threat. But even then, the immediate idea the grave at Chikurubi Prison where Dzamara was
was also stolen. The Arab Spring — a tumultuous fact that information is scarce points to rigorous wasn’t to eliminate him; the idea, it is clear, was allegedly buried. There was also an allegation that
series of anti-government protests — was sweep- information control, operational security, hence to instil fear. In that process of intimidating him, he had been tortured on a state farm on the out-
ing across the Arab world including North Africa, trained and organised people. Which, once more, something must have gone horribly wrong and he skirts of Harare. Police, through Assistant Com-
toppling authoritarian regimes and providing in- points back to the security apparatus of the state. was paralysed and eventually had to be disposed missioner Crispen Makendenge, claimed that
spiration to pro-democracy formations. Especially if the police are unwilling to investigate, of. This is what many people in government be- these tip-offs yielded nothing useful. Makendenge
A retired operative of the Central Intelligence which indicates structures with more clout than has since left the police service.
Organisation, the state security agency, told our they.” Conclusion
news crew that Dzamara’s one-man protests were Four years after ascending to power on the back of
causing headaches for the security apparatus. His a coup d'état, President Mnangagwa’s government
identity cannot be revealed. has not fulfilled its promises to chart a new path
“At first, he was seen by some in the (security) on democracy and human rights. The unsolved
system as a harmless guy who would be ignored mystery over the enforced disappearance of jour-
by the citizens and soon fizzle out. There are two nalist and pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara is a
factors which proved that assessment wrong. First, stark reminder of this. Amnesty International and
he was brave. How many people in those days Human Rights Watch have recommended that
could carry a placard in the middle of Harare the Zimbabwean government appoint a judge-led
and demand the resignation of Robert Mugabe? commission of inquiry into the matter. Dzamara
Mugabe was feared. Second, he began galvanising deserves justice.
opposition groups, urging the youth, in particular, l This article was written with support from
to unite in demanding change. The Zimbabwe Justice for Journalists Foundation. Please visit
Grounds rally which was organised by the MDC The NewsHawks website (www.thenewshawks.
was a turning point in the sense that some people com) for Part Two in this series, focusing on the
in the security establishment began seeing him as lived experiences of journalists in Zimbabwe.
more of a threat than a nuisance,” said the retired We have also compiled a two-part mini docu-
spy. mentary, which you can watch on The News-
Hawks Facebook page.

Page 20 News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Zim must step up reform agenda: IMF

BERNARD MPOFU

ZIMBABWE should step up its reform agen- ly guaranteed (PPG) debt stood at US$10.7 opment Strategy 1 are appropriate and need ing financial support to Zimbabwe due to an
da in order to quicken economic growth and billion. This represented 72.6% of the coun- to be fully operationalised and implemented. unsustainable debt and official external ar-
normalise relations with the international try’s gross domestic product. PPG external Durable macroeconomic stability and struc- rears. A Fund financial arrangement would
community and multilateral lenders, the In- debt owed to the multilateral creditors, as tural reforms would support the recovery and require a clear path to comprehensive restruc-
ternational Monetary Fund says. at the end of December 2020, amounted to Zimbabwe’s development objectives,” the turing of Zimbabwe’s external debt, including
US$2.68 billion, of which US$1.53 billion IMF said. the clearance of arrears and obtaining financ-
The country is considered high sovereign was owed to the World Bank Group, US$729 ing assurances from creditors; a reform plan
risk owing to its failure to settle arrears with million to AfDB, US$356 million to the Eu- “Zimbabwe has been a Fund member in that is consistent with macroeconomic sta-
international financial institutions like the ropean Investment Bank and US$68 million good standing since it cleared its outstanding bility, sustainable growth, and poverty reduc-
World Bank, African Development Bank and to other multilateral creditors. arrears to the PRGT (Poverty Reduction and tion; a reinforcement of the social safety net;
European Investment Bank. Growth Trust) in late 2016. The Fund engag- and governance and transparency reforms. In
“These reforms are paramount for improv- es the authorities in close policy dialogue and a bid to reengage with the international com-
An IMF team, which recently concluded its ing the business climate and reducing gover- provides extensive technical assistance in the munity, the authorities have developed an
Article IV Consultation on Zimbabwe, said nance vulnerabilities, and thus to foster high- areas of economic governance, fiscal policy Arrears Clearance, Debt Relief and Restruc-
the country should push for reforms despite er sustained and inclusive growth. To this and revenue administration, financial sector turing strategy and have resumed token pay-
receiving nearly US$961 million worth of end, the authorities’ strategy and policies as reforms, as well as macro-economic statistics. ments on external arrears.”
Special Drawing Rights (SDR) from the mul- embodied in their 2021-25 National Devel- However, the IMF is precluded from provid-
tilateral lender.

An IMF staff team, led by Dhaneshwar
Ghura, mission chief for Zimbabwe, held
virtual discussions in the context of the 2021
Article IV Consultation from 25 October to
16 November 2021.

“The mission notes the authorities’ plans
to use the recent SDR allocation to support
spending in social, productive, and infra-
structure sectors, as well as building reserve
buffers. In this context, the use of the SDR
allocation should not substitute for critical
reforms, be spent on priority areas within a
medium-term plan, and follow good gover-
nance and transparency practices,” the IMF
said in its report.

“Decisive actions are needed to lock in
economic stabilisation gains and accelerate
reforms. The near-term macro-economic im-
perative is to continue with the close coordi-
nation among fiscal, exchange rate, and mon-
etary policies. In this context, key priorities
relate to allowing greater official exchange rate
flexibility and tackling FX (foreign exchange)
market distortions, accompanied by an ap-
propriate monetary stance; creating fiscal
space for critical spending while containing
fiscal deficits; implementing growth-enhanc-
ing structural and governance reforms; and
continuing to enhance data transparency.”

Official figures show that as at December
2020, Zimbabwe’s total public and public-

ACCORDING to World Health Organ- Delivering justice to survivors of sexual,
isation Global Status Report on Violence gender-based violence through DNA
Prevention 2014, one in three women
and girls will experience physical, sexual Child marriages remain a challenge The HLPC is a commitment by the the rape or sexual violation incidence.
or gender-based violence (SGBV) in their with 33.7% of girls aged under 18 mar- Government of Zimbabwe to leverage With this new state-of-the-art capacity,
lifetime. Unfortunately, only 4% of these ried compared to 2% of boys who are the efforts made under the Spotlight Ini- the Zimbabwe Republic Police forensic
women/girls will report this violation to married before reaching the age of 18 tiative and ensure access to timely and laboratory can now swiftly inspect these
the police due to stigma or fear. years. Sexual and gender-based violence quality services, including forensics, for samples, analyse them, and present their
offences are often committed in private all survivors of sexual and gender-based findings to the National Prosecuting Au-
Rape and sexual violence are especial- and without any witnesses. violence. thority as evidence that will considerably
ly under-reported. An alarmingly high increase the conviction rate of perpetra-
proportion (43%) of adolescent girls in The lack of evidence hampers the func- The new laboratory, made possible tors.
Zimbabwe, aged between 13-17 years tionality of the justice system and de- through Unicef under the Spotlight Ini-
reported that their first incident of sex- motivates survivors to report these cases. tiative, will enable the use of forensic Achieving this milestone would not
ual intercourse was unwanted and un- Justice for victims of violence and partic- evidence in the trial of sexual and gen- have been possible without the collabo-
planned. ularly sexual and gender-based violence der-based violence cases. The Spotlight rative work of the Zimbabwe Republic
has remained elusive, and this is worse for Initiative supported by the European Police in creating conducive lab spaces
This has been exacerbated by the children and adolescents, especially girls. Union and implemented by several UN within their forensic laboratory and ded-
Covid-19 pandemic that has led to an agencies, including Unicef is dedicated to icating their team of highly qualified fo-
increase in domestic violence and child Building on the launch of the eliminating all forms of violence against rensic scientists to this all-important task.
marriages. High-Level Political Compact (HLPC) women and girls while ensuring justice to
on Ending Gender-based Violence and survivors. Unicef will continue to support the
The national GBV Hotline, run by Harmful Practices Government of Zimbabwe in its efforts to
Musasa — a partner dealing with issues of This facility will operationalise the prevent and respond to violence against
violence against women and girls and pro- by the Government of Zimbabwe on national protocols on sexual offences in women and girls and work closely with
viding relief to survivors of Gender-Based 27 October 2021 — we can now mark a Zimbabwe that require survivors to im- the Zimbabwe
Violence (GBV) has recorded more than key milestone in the criminal justice sys- mediately undergo a medical examina-
6 800 GBV related calls from the begin- tem in Zimbabwe, with the launch of a tion where a health professional collects Republic Police to deliver justice to sur-
ning of the lockdown on 30 March 2020 new state-of-the-art forensics laboratory relevant samples/evidence associated with vivors.
until the end of December 2020, with an at the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
overall average increase of over 40% com- — UNICEF
pared to the pre-lockdown trends.

About 94% of the calls are from wom-
en.

NewsHawks News Page 21

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Special Covid-19
PANDEMIC coverage

MARY MUNDEYA Govt admits failure over Covid
monthly cushioning allowance
PUBLIC Service, Labour and Social Welfare sec-
retary Simon Masanga has admitted that the gov- Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare secretary Simon Masanga
ernment’s monthly Covid-19 cushioning allow-
ance which was introduced by cabinet in March Government’s Covid-19 cushioning allowance was supposed to help mostly people from the informal sector.
2020 to help a “million” people, mostly from the
informal sector, whose livelihoods had been af- beneficiaries. require to go to the 65 district offices and all I ministrative budget is very thin and the auditors
fected by lockdowns was a failure. However, he sad his ministry does not have the was saying yes, physically it’s possible, but finan- are supported by the admin budget. Verification
cially very impossible. The funding is inadequate. is necessary, but it’s now the cost of doing the
Masanga however said the extent of the failure capacity to do an internal audit due to the un- We have an operational budget, but most of my verification versus the availability of funds,” Ma-
could not be ascertained due to the unavailability availability of funds. funding is directed towards programmes. The ad- sanga said.
of funds to conduct an internal audit.
“It’s not possible, you know in auditing you
The programme was eventually suspended in
September 2020 at a time beneficiaries were get-
ting an equivalent of US$3, only enough to buy
a two-litre bottle of cooking oil or three loaves of
bread. The government was also not clear on how
beneficiaries were chosen, with Finance minister
Mthuli Ncube saying a complex “aligorithm”
would be used.

Speaking before the parliamentary portfolio
committee on Public Service, Labour and So-
cial Welfare, Masanga admitted the Covid-19
monthly cushioning allowance programme had
failed to produce the intended impact.

“We haven’t carried out an impact assessment,
but I doubt we achieved intended the intention,”
he said.

Masanga attributed the failure of the pro-
gramme to his ministry’s involvement in other
Covid-19-related programmes.

“Please note at the same time we were given
another assignment to run quarantine centres
throughout the country. The same officers and
accountants were also processing payments for
food for the returning residents who had to be
quarantined for 21 days. Ministry was also scal-
ing up its traditional programmes such as Har-
monised Social Cash Transfers, Food Deficit Mit-
igation Strategy, AMTOS (Social Welfare Public
Assistance Programme), pauper burials, rounding
up of children and adults living in the streets and
dealing with rising cases of child abuse. Conse-
quently, data for eligible beneficiaries was re-
ceived from local authorities, small and medium
enterprises, vendor associations and other interest
groups which amongst others included Child
Protection Committee cadres, faith-based leaders
and councillors,” he said.

Masanga said although some data was collect-
ed, it was not realiable, given it lacked correct
contact details, with a sizeable number of ben-
eficiaries having similar identity numbers and
addresses.

He said a notable number of beneficiaries re-
fused to collect the monthly Covid-19 cushion-
ing allowance because it was too small.

The ministry also experienced limited mobility
for monitoring and evaluation, making it difficult
to verify if the allowances were being paid to the
deserving beneficiaries.

“Due to the cited shortcomings, there was
little uptake of the allowances by intended ben-
eficiaries who initially received ZW$180 which
was later reviewed to ZW$300 from July 1 2020.
Due to the figure of the monthly allowance being
too small to make an impact, some of the data
provided was not reliable as it lacked correct con-
tact details and many names were rejected at min-
istry and by the service provider,” Masanga said.

“A sizeable number of beneficiaries on the da-
tabase had similar identity numbers and address-
es and there was limited mobility for monitoring
and evaluation, making it difficult to verify if
allowances were being paid to deserving benefi-
ciaries.”

Masanga said a special audit report of the Audi-
tor-General on the Covid-19 pandemic financial
management and utilisation of public resources
in the country’s provinces by ministries and state
agencies had highlighted a number of red flags
such as the failure to access the allowance by the
rightful beneficiaries, inadequate record keeping,
unreliable databases and duplicate payments to

Page 22 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks

CARTOON Issue 57, 19 November 2021

We cannot all
flee Zimbabwe
ONE of the hottest discussion topics this week was whether Zimba-
bweans can continue flocking to South Africa for economic refuge No Zim economic recovery
or return home to confront the issues that have ruined their country. without re-industrialisation
THE economic message from the Intra-Af- within the African continent in the next with a combined GDP of US$2.5 trillion.
Some vocal South Africans are causing discomfort by boldly speak- rican Trade Fair in Durban, South Africa, five years. IATF 2021, which was initially Mnangagwa told journalists in Durban
ing out and telling the Zimbabweans that they will not solve problems is clear: African countries should take ad- supposed to be held in Rwanda, is expected
by fleeing to other countries. Those opposed to this line of thinking vantage of the 1.2 billion market — with to attract over 10 000 attendees from across that he found the trade fair “excellent”.
are arguing that it is a manifestation of xenophobia and Afrophobia. a gross domestic product of US$2.5 trillion Africa with US$40 billion worth of trade Yet trade experts say the utility of the
Tensions are rising on both sides of the debate. — to export and promote more trade across and investment deals set to be concluded.
the continent. AfCFTA will depend on whether African
For a long time, some South Africans have attributed the frighten- Attendees were able to see 1 100 ex- countries embrace industrialisation and fo-
ingly high crime rate in their country to Zimbabweans, particularly That is a big opportunity which could hibitors showcasing their goods and ser- cus on increasing their productive capabili-
in the Gauteng region. Violent crime — ranging from muggings, make a huge difference to African econo- vices, while business-to-business and busi- ties in a highly competitive global landscape.
mall robberies to cash-in-transit heists — are blamed on foreigners, mies, growth prospects, employment op- ness-to-government exchanges provide
although empirically speaking the proportion of crimes committed portunities and livelihoods. This is what opportunities for further deals, business Zimbabwe, previously the most indus-
by foreigners is a drop in the ocean. Other insidious crimes attributed countries like Zimbabwe particularly need. matchmaking and networking. trialised economy in sub-Saharan Africa
to outsiders include drug peddling, human trafficking and electron- They have to take advantage of the African after South Africa, has undergone dramatic
ic payment fraud. Although the Zimbabwean crisis is often viewed Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to African countries brokered deals worth de-industrialisation due a number of en-
through the lens of economic malaise, it is essentially a political prob- create new export and growth opportuni- US$32 billion at the inaugural IATF2018 dogenous and exogenous factors, including
lem. ties. AfCFTA was founded in 2018, with summit held in Cairo, Egypt, in 2018. domestic leadership, governance and policy
business commencing as of 1 January 2021. issues, as well as global structural changes
That also explains why Zimbabweans have not forgotten how the It was created through the African Conti- At least 30 Zimbabwean business enti- and development matrices.
then South African president, Thabo Mbeki, announced in 2008 nental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of ties and corporate executives attended the
that there was “no crisis” in Zimbabwe. This was after the 29 March the 55 African Union (AU) nations. Durban trade fair, including CBZ Bank Currently, intra-Africa trade is merely
elections, in which long-time despot Robert Mugabe was defeated chairperson Marc Holtzman, Pacific Cig- 15% of Africa’s total trade. This shows Af-
by opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai. For weeks on end, AfCFTA is a flagship project of the AU’s rican intra-regional value chain is very weak
the electoral commission did not announce the results — for obvi- Agenda 2063, a blueprint for attaining in- Hawk Eye in contrast to Asia, where it stands at 80%.
ous reasons. When the cooked results were finally announced, the clusive and sustainable development across The trade volume in Africa is also con-
country was coralled into a bloody run-off election. Mugabe deployed the continent over the next 50 years. It aims Dumisani strained by the relatively slow economic
the military, murdering scores of opposition supporters. There is no to boost intra-Africa trade by providing Muleya growth in the continent, which averages
bigger crisis than the slaughter of innocents. a comprehensive and mutually beneficial 4.6% since 2000 in contrast to Asia’s 7.4%.
trade agreement among the member states, arette Company chair Adam Molai and
It was clear back then that the “quiet diplomacy” stance of South covering trade in goods and services, invest- Nyanza Light Metals chief executive Dono- Zimbabwe, which now has a highly
Africa’s governing ANC was problematic. Former liberation parties in ment, intellectual property rights and com- van Chimhandamba, among others. informalised economy, needs a recommit-
this part of the world are quick to conveniently argue that they have a petition policy. ment and strategic focus on industrialisa-
responsibility to close ranks and defend the gains of the anti-colonial Heads of state and government also tion. In other words re-industrialisation.
struggle. What they do not realise is that the cause of liberation has The second IATF2021 in Durban, from attended. South African President Cyril The development of manufacturing is
been given a bad name by murderous, corrupt and incompetent re- 15-21 November, is held by the AU, Afri- Ramaphosa, Zimbabwean President Em- essential if Zimbabwe is to increase the
gimes which hide behind the finger while destroying their own coun- can Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) merson Mnangagwa, Nigerian President production of value-added products, ex-
tries. We must ask ourselves why Zimbabwe is the largest exporter of and South Africa. It provides a platform for Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian pand exports of such products, and reduce
economic refugees in this region. There is a big difference between sharing trade, investment and market in- president Olusegun Obasanjo, also the trade imbalances. This approach improves
producing skilled human capital which other countries can tap into formation, and enabling buyers and sellers, chairperson of the Intra-African Trade Fair economic diversification, which accelerates
and churning out millions of poverty-stricken citizens who flood oth- investors and countries to meet, discuss and Advisory Council and several other leaders, structural transformation.
er nations, causing serious headaches for neighbouring states. conclude business deals, while offering a business executives, investors and exhibitors
platform for businesses to access an integrat- were there. The same applies to other African coun-
Lest we forget, at Independence in 1980 Zimbabwe had the sec- ed African market of over 1.2 billion people tries, although their internal environments
ond most developed economy after South Africa. Remarkably, be- with a GDP of over US$2.5 trillion created Ramaphosa said at the Inkosi Albert Lu- and situations maybe different.
tween 1980 and 2000, this country’s gross domestic product did not under the AfCFTA. thuli International Convention Centre in
grow at all. Those who falsely claim that it is the Western sanctions Durban, venue of the event, the trade fair To re-industrialise and develop produc-
which have ruined the economy cannot explain why the pre-2000 In Durban, Afreximbank signed a aspires to create a single market for goods tive capacity, Zimbabwe needs new and
GDP did not expand. The answer is simple and straightforward: eco- US$1.04 billion facility with the Nigerian and services across 55 countries, ensuring massive investment. For that to come it
nomic mismanagement. A corrupt and parasitic elite has squandered National Petroleum Corporation to finance a market of as much as 1.2 billion people, needs a new political and economic envi-
the promise of national Independence. the exploration of petroleum. ronment. One in which there is leadership,
governance and policy competence; where
There was a false dawn four years ago when the military top- Afreximbank president and chairperson there is respect for the rule of law, property
pled Mugabe. The entire country erupted in euphoric scenes, with Benedict Oramah said the bank will invest rights, human rights and the ease of doing
long-suffering Zimbabweans gleefully embracing soldiers and posing US$40 billion to boost trading activities business.
for photographs next to army tanks. For most people, those memories
are now a painful reminder of the catastrophic dangers of a society’s There can be no meaningful and sustain-
collective naivety. The coup did not benefit ordinary citizens but pre- able recovery for Zimbabwe without that.
served Zanu PF, a party clearly incapable of reform.

This country desperately needs economic, social and political insti-
tutions that work in the best interests of citizens.

The rising tide of discontent across the country shows that Pres-
ident Emmerson Mnangagwa has failed to foster a stable, balanced
and focused system of government. It is the yearning for freedom,
democratic participation and economic prosperity that is driving
hordes of people to other countries because there is a glaring demo-
cratic deficit back home. Zimbabwe’s best brains are now outside the
country. We cannot all flee to other nations. When Zimbabweans
have suffered enough, they will stop running away, confront the el-
ephant in the room and embark on the tough but necessary task of
rebuilding the only country we call home.

Reaffirming the fundamental impor- The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
tance of freedom of expression and me- content platforms by the NewsHawks Digital Managing Editor: Dumisani Muleya Charmaine Phiri Council of Zimbabwe
dia freedom as the cornerstone of de- Media which is owned by Centre for Public Cell: +263 735666122
mocracy and as a means of upholding Interest Journalism Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba [email protected] The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the
human rights and liberties in the con- No. 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue [email protected] Code of Conduct that promotes truthful, accurate,
stitution; our mission is to hold power Beverly Court, 6th floor News Editor: Owen Gagare
in its various forms and manifestations Harare, Zimbabwe Subscriptions & Distribution: fair and balanced news reporting. If we do not
to account by exposing abuse of power Digital Editor: Bernard Mpofu +263 735666122 meet these standards, register your complaint
and office, betrayals of public trust and Trustees/Directors: with the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe
corruption to ensure good governance Beatrice Mtetwa, Raphael Khumalo, Reporters: at No.: 34, Colenbrander Rd, Milton Park, Harare.
and accountability in the public inter- Professor Wallace Chuma, Teldah Mawarire, Bridget Mananavire, Nyasha Chingono, Enoch Muchinjo
est. Doug Coltart Telephone: 024-2778096 or 024-2778006,
Email: [email protected] 24Hr Complaints Line: 0772 125 659

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
WhatsApp: 0772 125 658, Twitter: @vmcz

Website: www.vmcz.co.zw, Facebook: vmcz Zimbabwe

NewsHawks New Perspectives Page 23

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Understanding "great financing divide"

“TODAY, the world is confronted be 5.4% in 2021, a high level of from both the worker representa- temporary wealth tax on the rich, duration of enhanced pandem-
with three global problems that re- fiscal deficit.  tive organisations and civil society and those that have performed ic-related stimulus needs. Govern-
quire global action: the great vac- for salary adjustment. This indeed very well during the pandemic in ment should indeed consider levy-
cine divide, climate change, and An impact of "oil nationalism", will further inflation and turn the terms of earnings, so as to create ing higher taxes on the income or
the great financing divide"...says where oil-producing countries -- fiscal position into deficit. Such fis- an important source for generating wealth of the rich to help pay for
the International Monetary Fund overall, drastically cut oil supply cal deficits over the years are going finances which can then be chan- the enormous cost of tackling the
in its flagship October "Fiscal for many months now -- could be to mount further pressure in terms nelled towards meeting pandem- Covid-19 pandemic as inequality
Monitor" report.  seen in the likely impact of their of traditionally high debt repay- ic-related needs. has widened in the year since the
quick recovery in terms of fiscal ment needs. Given the very mod- The IMF in its Fiscal Monitor virus first hit the global economy.
Of much interest on the issues deficit situation on the back of est economic growth rate projected report suggested this tax as fol- There is a case for the better off
raised by the IMF is the "great fi- increasing oil revenues, whereby for 2021, after being negative in lows: "Advanced economies can being asked to pay more on a tem-
nancing divide", given the huge as per the current Fiscal Monitor 2020 and 2019, tax numbers are increase progressivity of income porary basis to meet crisis-related
fiscal outlays and stimulus spend- report the fiscal deficit of oil-pro- likely to remain subdued, while taxation and increase reliance on financial costs.
ing by almost all countries in the ducing countries decreased from it may make little sense to target inheritance/gift taxes and property
fight on the Covid-19 pandemic. 7.5% in 2020, to a projected 4.2% the informal sector after the pan- taxation. Covid-19 recovery con- High earners and companies
in 2021. Hence, while the oil-pro- demic-induced that prospered in the coronavirus
The great financing divide, ac- ducing countries are nowhere near recession had im- crisis should pay additional tax
cording to the IMF, refers to finan- the same level of economic stress as mensely hit em- to show solidarity with those who
cial constraints facing vulnerable faced by net oil-importing coun- ployment levels Econometrics were hardest hit by the pandem-
people and countries. It has to do tries like Zimbabwe, especially in there. ic. A temporary tax would help
not only with fiscal policies and terms of pressures in managing the In the absence HawksView to reduce social inequalities that
economic prospects around the balance of payments situation, still of huge support have been exacerbated by the eco-
world but also to debt develop- they overly concerned themselves from multilateral nomic and health crisis. It would
ments.  with managing their own public fi- institutions and also reassure those worst affected
nances, and not finding something developed coun- Tinashe Kaduwo that the fight against Covid-19 is
Preliminary estimates from of middle ground, and support- tries, developing a collective endeavour within so-
the Global Debt Database shows ing countries with little foreign countries like Zimbabwe would tributions and “excess” corporate cieties. It would strengthen social
that debt issued by governments, exchange cushion, especially at a have little to contribute to global profit taxes could be considered. cohesion even if there was not a
non-financial corporations and time when there were significant economic recovery, as the same Wealth tax can also be considered pressing need to repair the public
households in 2020 reached Covid-19 vaccine-related import WEO report highlights in terms of if the previous measures are not finances. For instance, in Zimba-
US$226 trillion, an increase of payment needs. divergent growth scenario and the enough. Emerging market and de- bwe, players in the tourism sector
US$27 trillion from prior year. rising recovery gap between rich veloping economies should focus were hit hard whilst those in phar-
Both the level and the increase Zimbabwe however has a differ- advanced countries and the devel- on strengthening tax capacity to maceuticals prospered during the
in debt are unprecedented. High ent picture when compared to the oping ones. Such support is also finance more social spending.’ pandemic. A financial plan that
and growing levels of public and globe and its peers. The country important to better enable devel- While the IMF suggests such a ensures fairness and collective re-
private debt are associated with managed to strike a fiscal surplus oping countries to make necessary wealth tax in advanced countries, sponsibility is therefore necessary.
risks to financial stability and pub- on the back of austerity measures
lic finances which indeed require implemented by the government. health sector investments during it makes sense that such a tax could *About the writer: Tinashe
public watch. This increase in pub- However, most of the measures the pandemic, and for following an also be planned for those individ- Kaduwo is a researcher and
lic debt was fully justified by the were centred on reducing the gov- effective vaccine purchase strategy. uals in very high income brackets economist. He writes in his per-
need to respond to Covid-19 and ernment wage bill growth despite Moreover, the IMF has come up in developing countries. Zimba- sonal capacity. Contact kadu-
its economic, social and financial the country having high inflation. with an important suggestion, in bwe should also envisage levying [email protected] whatsapp
consequences. Developing coun- Civil servants' salaries have been the shape of countries applying a such a tax on the wealthy, for the +263773376128
tries however are coming under eroded, resulting in high pressure
pressure because of this rising debt. 

According to the IMF's Fiscal
Monitor, global government debt
increased to 98.6% of gross domes-
tic product in 2020 from 83.6% in
2019 and is projected to remain
above 96% till 2026. While deep
recession, and stimulus spending
were one side of the coin during
2020 that saw the Covid-19 pan-
demic unfolding. On the other
side, intellectual property rights
related to the Covid-19 vaccine in-
creased the gap between rich and
poor countries in terms of pace of
economic recovery. Moreover, the
lack of debt moratorium or relief
from creditor countries, and weak
multilateral support, all meant in-
creasing fiscal deficits and, in turn,
a difficult public debt situation
overall globally; especially bur-
densome for developing countries,
given their narrow tax base tradi-
tionally, and difficult balance of
payments situation in general.

The Fiscal Monitor report high-
lights that general government
fiscal overall balance, fiscal defi-
cit globally, which was hovering
between 3% and 3.6% of global
GDP during 2016-2019, virtually
tripled to 10.2% in 2020; where
the projection for 2021 stood at
7.9%. While the advanced coun-
tries with deep pockets could bet-
ter manage their deficits, it has
become a serious challenge for de-
veloping countries. In this regard,
the report pointed out that the
fiscal deficit for low-income devel-
oping economies, such as Zimba-
bwe,  stood at 5.2% of their GDP
in 2020, while being projected to

Business

MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE
EUR/USD 1.168 +0.001 +0.05 -1.402
USD/JPY 109.75 +0.03 +0.03 *OIL 62.61 -0.89 +0.123
GBP/USD 1.362 -0.002 -0.154 -0.39
USD/CAD 1.29 +0.007 +0.55 *GOLD 1,785.3 +2.2 +0.44
AUD/USD 0.713 -0.001 -0.098 +1.14
*SILVER 23.14 -0.09
Forex
*PLATINUM 975.5 +4.3

*COPPER 4.087 +0.046

crunch bound to persist

RONALD MUCHENJE THe RBZ is expected to keep its key policy rate on hold at 60% for the remainder of 2021. more moderate depreciation of the Zimbabwe
dollar. We expect the RBZ to cut its benchmark
ZIMBABWE’S forex regime will continue to In September, the authorities received a new “We expect annual inflation to average 35.0% rate to 37.5% by end-2022 as inflation deceler-
present challenges to monetary policy,, with the foreign-reserve allocation worth US$961 million in 2022 — down from a forecast 145.3% in 2021 ates. We forecast an annual average inflation rate
central bank expected to cut its benchmark rate from the International Monetary Fund, boosting and 557.2% in 2020 — given somewhat reduced of 42.5% in 2022 on the expectation of increased
to 37.5% by the end of 2022, as inflation decel- import cover from just 0.3 months to 1.9 months. central bank financing of the fiscal deficit and exchange rate stability and reduced central bank
erates. financing of the fiscal deficit, as well as positive
base effects from very high prices in H121 (first
For the remainder of 2021, the Reserve Bank half of 2021),” Fitch said.
is expected to keep its key policy rate on hold at
60% before instituting a series of rate cuts from Price increases are also being driven by the de-
2022 onwards, as it seeks to boost access to credit. preciation of the Zimbabwe dollar as businesses
have been raising prices to hedge against the cur-
In its analysis of the country’s state of the econ- rency volatility arising from growing money sup-
omy, an international research firm, Fitch Solu- ply, a rise in imports that is driving demand for
tions, indicated risks arising from the foreign cur- US dollars, and substantial delays in settlement
rency regime will persist. at the central bank’s weekly currency auction that
have forced corporates to source currency on the
In October, the central bank hiked the rate to parallel market.
60% from 40%, the first rise since a 500-basis
point (bp) increase in February 2021, citing con- The parallel market rate has depreciated to
cerns about a rise in month-on-month inflation ZW$180:US$1 from ZW$129:US$1 in July —
and renewed instability in the parallel-market ex- more than double the depreciation of the official
change rate. rate (which currently stands at ZW$105.70:US$1,
as against ZW$85.42:US$1 in July).
The apex bank also hiked the interest rate
on the Medium Term Accommodation Facility Given continued price pressures, Fitch expects
(through which banks access interim funds for inflation to average 145.3% across 2021 as a
on-lending to various productive sectors) from whole, as against 557.2% in 2020.
30% to 40%, and increased statutory reserve
requirements for demand deposits from 5% to “Equally, we expect that the RBZ will continue
10%, while maintaining the rate for savings and to manage access to the FX auction system (lim-
time deposits at 2.5%. iting such access to priority sectors, for example).
While this will result in a continued spread be-
While annual average inflation is seen re- tween the official and parallel market rates, we ex-
maining elevated in 2021, Fitch forecasts annual pect this spread to moderate as increases in min-
average inflation rate of 42.5% in 2022 on the ing output and still high global prices for minerals
expectation of enhanced exchange rate stability lead to increased US dollar availability. Moreover,
and reduced central bank financing of the fiscal we expect the RBZ to continue to seek to contain
deficit, as well as positive base effects from very expansion of the monetary base, the central bank
high prices in the first half of the year. reduced the reserve money growth target from
22.5% to 20% per quarter from June 2021, and
Despite recent exchange rate volatility, the au- to 10% for Q421 (fourth quarter of 2021) and
thorities have made some progress tackling the H122 (first half of 2022), although we note that
pace of currency depreciation, with the official ex- the government will continue to rely on domestic
change rate weakening by just 7.6% between Jan- sources to fund the fiscal deficit,” Fitch said.
uary and late October 2021 as against a 505.3%
depreciation over 2020.

Overhaul punitive tax system: ZNCC tells Treasury

BERNARD MPOFU The system is penalising the complying formal old has triggered skills flight over the years. which is most likely the case for businesses in
businesses the most,” the ZNCC says. “As the budget is being drafted, the issue of the manufacturing sector. In a case where the
ZIMBABWE’S Treasury should overhaul its RBZ has already converted the received pay-
punitive tax system to plug revenue leakages “The system is punitive given the prevailing income tax needs to be addressed. Zimbabwe ment to RTGS then, where is the US dollar
from both formal and informal businesses, a operating environment as it increases the cost Revenue Authority’s position on the income component of profit supposed to come from?”
business organisation has said. of doing business rendering local products un- tax violates the fundamentals of taxation and
competitive. In other words, the punitive taxes the fundamentals of taxation are not being Last month, the manufacturing sector rep-
With independent statistics showing that threaten the viability of enterprises. It further upheld. A case in point is when a company resentative was lobbying the government to
nearly 75% of the economy is in the informal squeezes businesses and individuals of their receives payment through the bank, 20% is slash taxes levied on exporters, among other
sector, current layers of tax obligations from hard-earned disposable income and is infested converted into RTGS at the prevailing RBZ tax reforms, as industry continues to face stiff
various government departments have been by too high penalties. (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) rate,” the ZNCC competition from regional peers due to multi-
blamed for the revenue slippages. further said. ple layers of statutory obligations.
“The tax system treats small and large busi-
According to a pre-budget submission made nesses alike, hence stifles growth, particularly “Zimra on the tax side deems that the busi- Local firms are currently operating below
by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Com- of smaller companies. This was particularly ness has received US dollars and should pay optimal capacity due to limited access to long-
merce (ZNCC), the country’s taxation system with reference to corporate/income tax which the portion of income tax in US dollars when term financing to re-tool, as well as tariff and
is characterised by too many tax heads with the business community regards as too heavy in actual fact the business is no longer in pos- non-tariff barriers hampering them from pene-
very high tax rates. for SMEs ( small and medium enterprises) and session of the full amount of the US dollars trating new markets.
treats them the same as big corporates. In this because part of the payment has been convert-
“Also, the Zimbabwe tax system does not regard, the tax system is geared more on tax ed to RTGS. Therefore, the tenet which states The ZNCC further said the government
promote compliance and investment but rath- collection than industry growth.” that tax should be fair in this case falls short. should, among other measures, widen taxable
er promotes tax evasion, defaults, informal- As an example, the net profit margin is 20%, income to 35% to stimulate domestic savings
isation of businesses and company closures. Experts say the country’s income tax thresh- and consumption.

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 25

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

ALEX MHANDU CBZ banks on digitalisation

THE country’s largest banking group by assets system, pent up remittances inflows and com- are amounts that are denominated in US dol- gration.
and deposits, CBZ Holdings Limited, says dig- mendable resilience by businesses in the face of lars amounting to US$159 622 480 (December The CBZ Group will continue to leverage on
italisation is now its preferred channel for do- the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said. 2020: US$ 167 966 227) — being legacy liabili-
ing business with customers in response to the ties of US$51 309 092 (December 2020: US$52 its strong capital and balance sheet positions, deep
Covid-19 pandemic which slowed down its earn- For the six-month period, net interest in- 986 052) and nostro gap accounts of US$108 understanding of the local markets, extensive in-
ings amid depressed economic activity. come rose 42% to ZW$2 billion, compared to 313 388 (December 2020: US$114 980 175). vestment in digital platforms and a culture of
ZW$1.4 billion during the same period in 2020 innovation to provide the much-needed support
Financial services providers have led the digital on increased lending. Total advances closed the Total assets rose 20% to ZW$146 billion from and remain a source of resilience to its employees,
transformation in the country in what has been period at ZW$49 billion from ZW$25.3 billion ZW$121 billion. clients and other stakeholders.
an unprecedented period following the outbreak in the same period last year. At ZW$100 billion,
of the pandemic nearly two years ago, which deposits were 7% above same period in 2020 and Going forward, the vaccine efficacy and up- The group proposed an interim dividend
brought global economies to a standstill. 28% above ZW$78 billion recorded as at 30 De- take, as well as efforts to subdue virus mutations of ZW$500 000 000 or 95.78 cents per share,
cember 2020. Included in the deposits balance and new waves of infections, will determine the which translates to a growth of 42.8% on the
Banks, in particular, have downsized physical pace of economic re-opening and global re-inte- comparative 2020 interim dividend.
branches as services are now skewed towards dig-
ital channels.

CBZ sees this not only as a means to enhance
efficiency, but also to offset the negative impacts
of renewed infections.

“The Group is responding to the needs pre-
sented by Covid-19, particularly the accelerated
need for digitalisation across all business units.

“Serving customers through digital channels
has become the Group’s preferred way of do-
ing business, whilst observing WHO approved
Covid-19 guidelines. These developments –—
together with the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines
across the globe — including in Zimbabwe, our
main market — generally outweighed the neg-
ative impact of renewed Covid-19 infections,
the group said in an earnings update for the six
months to 30 June 2021.

Apart from the Covid-19 pandemic, the finan-
cial services giant has also admitted the operating
environment is challenging, characterised by in-
flationary pressures.

As survival measures under such an operating
environment, CBZ indicated it has put in place
various mitigating measures such as investment
skewed towards value preservation, cost contain-
ment and revenue pool expansion –— including
foreign currency income generation.

“With a strong asset base, and well-capitalised
subsidiaries, the group remains in a favourable
position to continue to invest in agile business
processes which are geared towards quality client
service, even during the Covid-19-induced lim-
itations,” chairperson Marc Holtzman said.

Meanwhile, during the half-year period, the
group’s after-tax profit eased 35% to ZW$2.4
billion compared to ZW$3.7 billion during the
same period last year.

Basic earnings per share went down 35% to
929 cents.

Total comprehensive income more than halved
to ZW$2 billion, from ZW$5.2 billion record-
ed during the prior year’s corresponding period-
Holtzman, however, noted the signs of recovery
in the economy during the period, despite the
adverse impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Despite persistent headwinds emanating from
Covid-19 virus mutations, resurgences in infec-
tions and vaccine hesitancy, the economy contin-
ued to exhibit signs of macro-economic stability
and recovery during the period under review.

“The trends largely reflected the continuation
of a tight monetary policy stance and fiscal re-
straint by the authorities, as well as the benefits
of an improved agricultural season, enhanced for-
eign currency management through the auction

TAKE WHY YOU SHOULD
RESPONSIBILITY STAY 3 FEET AWAY

PREVENT FROM PEOPLE
THE SPREAD
OF COVID-19

Ÿ You can’t immediately identify who has the
virus..

Ÿ To reduce the spread of the virus if you are
already infected.

Ÿ To avoid droplets from an infected person
when they sneeze or cough.

Page 26 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Power cuts disrupt production at Blanket

DUMISANI NYONI

ZIMBABWE’S poor electricity supply is threat- Caledonia says each switch-over results in up to 45 minutes of lost time.
ening gold production at Blanket Mine, as well
as causing severe damage to electrical equipment, development activity, including the horizontal de- “Due to the higher-than-anticipated use of the project under an engineering, procurement and
The NewsHawks has learnt. velopment from the central shaft,” it said. diesel generators as a result of the further deterio- construction contract.
ration in the Zesa supply, Blanket lost two of its
So dire is the situation that, due to the high- “This, in conjunction with delays arising from 2.5 MWA generators in October which must be The company said it provided Voltalia with a
er-tha-anticipated use of the diesel generators as a Covid-19, has resulted in a cumulative delay in replaced at a cost of approximately US$1.2 mil- notice to proceed in March 2021 and has made an
result of the further deterioration in the electricity the central shaft development which, in turn, has lion,” the report further reads. advance payment of US$1.8 million for long lead
supply, the mine, near Gwanda, lost two of its 2.5 required the continued use of declines to access time items that are required to construct the plant.
MWA generators in October which must be re- producing areas, which has contributed to an an- “The orders for the additional generators were
placed at a cost of approximately US$1.2 million. ticipated increase in future capital costs.” placed after the end of the quarter (third quarter) Orders have been placed for approximately
and delivery is expected in late 2021. Additional 80% of the solar equipment required to build the
Furthermore, the company, which effectively The company said as Zesa has not been able to capital costs relating to poor electricity supply of plant; and civil works on the internal roads, drain-
pays for 100% of the power to the Zimbabwe rectify its deficiencies and as Blanket expects to approximately US$3.2 million are anticipated in age, foundations for equipment and the opera-
Electricity Supply Authority Holdings (Zesa) use more grid power as it increases production to 2022,” it said. tions and maintenance building have commenced
but receives only 60% of electricity, also incurs 80 000 ounces of gold per annum, Blanket now as well as work relating to the fencing of the solar
the additional cost of generating its own power needs to commission a further 10MVA auto tap Caledonia is considering increasing the scale of site.
using diesel generators at a cost of approximately transformer (which will belong to Zesa) at a cost the solar project to further reduce Blanket’s reli-
US$300 000 per month. of approximately US$0.5 million. ance on the grid and diesel generators and is in- Last month, the company received notices from
vestigating the feasibility of installing power factor Voltalia advising that due to the rationing of pow-
The country has been, over the past few weeks, It said the continued deterioration in Zesa sup- correction equipment. er supply to the Chinese manufacturers of certain
experiencing severe power outages lasting more ply means that the power factor regularly falls to components, implementation of the solar project
than 12 hours a day, thereby threatening indus- 60%. Blanket is effectively paying for 100% of the It said the 40-hectare site for the solar project may now be subject to an indeterminate delay.
trial viability and pushing up production costs as power, but receives only 60%, and the mine also has been cleared and fenced and is ready for civil
companies resorted to diesel generators. incurs the additional cost of generating its own work to commence. Caledonia has obtained the Zimbabwe is importing between 200 to 400
power (approx. 5 000kw each day) using diesel necessary licences and permits for the project and megawatts of electricity from Mozambique and
In its latest management discussion and analy- generators at a cost of approximately US$300 000 Voltalia, an international renewable energy pro- Zambia as part of measures to end a debilitating
sis report, Caledonia Mining Corporation, which per month. vider, has been appointed as contractor for the power crisis, according to Zesa’s executive chair-
controls Blanket Mine, said the poor quality of person Sydney Gata.
electricity supply from Zesa is the most significant
threat to production at Blanket.

“Blanket experiences interruptions to its power
supply from the grid and the supply from the grid
is also subject to frequent surges and dips in volt-
age which, if not controlled, cause severe damage
to Blanket’s electrical equipment,” the report reads
in part.

“To address this matter, in 2019 and early 2020,
Blanket increased its diesel generating capacity to
18MW of installed capacity which was sufficient
to maintain all operations and capital projects.”

“Blanket also installed a 10MVA auto tap trans-
former to protect some of its equipment from
voltage fluctuations on the incoming grid supply,”
it said.

Caledonia said its board has approved a project
to construct a 12-megawatt alternating current
(MWac) solar project which will provide approx-
imately 27% of Blanket’s average daily electricity
demand at a cost of approximately US$14 mil-
lion, including construction expenses and other
project planning, structuring, funding and admin-
istration costs.

Notwithstanding the measures taken to pro-
vide back-up power and to manage power surges,
the switches from grid power to generator power
cause delays to production and development ac-
tivities. Caledonia said each switch-over results in
up to 45 minutes of lost time, as the generators are
started and the compressors are re-charged.

“This can recur several times during a single
shift, resulting in a considerable cumulative effect.
Historically, production has been prioritised over

STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe has entered into a Stanbic Bank in strategic partnership to
partnership with Industrial Commerce Bank of boost import quality for local businesses
China (ICBC) and Chinese trade agent Zhe-
jiang International Trading Supply Chain Co. enjoy an unparalleled competitive edge over blind importation of sub-standard products he said.
Ltd which is set to open doors for Zimbabwean other players in their chosen business areas on which would be condemned on arrival. According to the United Nations COM-
businesses to import quality goods from China. the back of this partnership, which ranks high
up there among all the financial institution’s “China is called the ‘World’s Factory’ and TRADE database on international trade, last
The partnership, called the “Africa China deals. the partnership will definitely build a trusted year Zimbabwe imported US$ 470.73 million
Import Solution”, will see Stanbic Bank provide trading bridge and steer through the diversity worth of goods.
its clients access to quality goods from most of The landmark partnership will not only of suppliers in China for Stanbic Bank clients.
the competitive manufacturers in China. boost and grow the business volumes of Stan- The service will be offered free of charge and Machinery, boilers, took the bulk of the im-
bic bank’s clients but will also allow for seam- only to Stanbic Zimbabwe business and per- ports chewing up US$138.89 million followed
The bank’s head of business and commercial less importation from China for corporates and sonal clients,” Mahatch said. by articles of iron or steel and electrical, elec-
clients, Patson Mahatchi, said the partnership individuals. tronic equipment at 49.52 million and 49.25
will enable Zimbabwean importers to ride on The partnership is also in line with Stanbic million respectively.
the supply chain base offered by Zhejiang In- Mahatchi said the partnership was strategic Bank and its parent company, Standard Bank
ternational Trading Supply Chain Co. Ltd, on many fronts, one of which would be the Group’s purpose of driving Africa’s growth. Miscellaneous chemical products took up
which trades as Guomao. strengthening of trust in Africa-China trade re- US$36.82 million while vehicles other than
lations by guaranteeing Zimbabwean import- He said Stanbic and its parent company are railway and tramway took up US$27.59 mil-
Mahatchi said Guomao has over 10 000 ers’ access to reputable suppliers in the Asian driven by a quest to showcase that “Africa is our lion. Rubbers US$24.84million; Optical, pho-
validated Chinese suppliers, a position which country. home” hence it is key to spearhead the growth to, technical, medical apparatus US$24.30
allows Zimbabwean importers access to a one- of this place called home. million; Inorganic chemicals, precious metal
stop foreign trade supply chain and cross-bor- Zimbabwean importers will now be able to compound, isotope US$19.09 million; Plastics
der e-commerce supply chain service. source and validate quality goods safely and ef- “This is achieved by putting together such US$15.95 million; and other made textile arti-
ficiently from most of the competitive manu- innovative partnerships as the Africa China Im- cles, sets, worn clothing chewed up the remain-
“This is a major breakthrough for our clients facturers in China as opposed to the previous port Solution whose ripple effects will change ing US$10.07 million. — STAFF WRITER.
because they are now guaranteed top-of-the- the face of the region and continent at large,”
range products of the highest quality. The em-
phasis here is on quality because Guomao is the
epitome of superior products and this partner-
ship is definitely going to transform the stature
of our importing clients,” Mahatchi said.

He said Stanbic's importing clients can now

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 27

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

LABOUR has called on the government to Govt must craft policies sensitive
adopt informal sector-sensitive policies if the to Zim’s informal sector — ZFTU
formalisation agenda is to see the light of day in
Zimbabwe. Almost 5.2 million people trade in the informal economy in Zimbabwe.

The details are contained in a declaration gies appropriate policies must be in place and ernment interference. They appreciate the fact “The prevalence of informal sector players has
compiled recently by caucus groups of informal be considered at every turn of the development that for as long as you are small, your employees reached alarming levels to the extent that the
sector representatives drawn from the Zimbabwe agenda,” she said. will not be bound by trade union sector is now injecting more gold and agricultur-
Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) and the al produce than registered companies. But this is
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). But leading economist John Robertson expectations, among other pressing opera- not good for the economy because resources are
begged to differ, arguing that formalisation is tional requirements,” he said. plundered with very little returns for national
This is in line with a focus group discussion that last topic which the informal sector expects. development. So there has to be a realistic way
conducted with the assistance of the Internation- Robertson said as long as the government of addressing the challenge,” he added.
al Labour Organisation — ACTRAV — which “Most players in the informal sector are in fact continues levying multiple licence fees and com-
sought to gather data in relation to responding avoiding formalisation because they are keen to missions, the country will not find it easy to for- — STAFF WRITER.
to the call for a National Formalisation Strategy remain small and hide their activities from gov- malise the informal sector.
for Zimbabwe.

According to official estimates, almost 5.2
million people trade in the informal economy in
Zimbabwe, 65% of whom are women who are
more exposed to informal employment in most
low-income and lower middle-income countries
and are more often found in the most vulnerable
situations.

The country has failed to attain intended so-
cio-economic development outcomes for rea-
sons which experts have partly attributed to a
narrow formal sector targeted policy structure
sidelining the majority in the informal sector.

Against this background, organised labour
has made bold recommendations for the gov-
ernment to urgently tilt the policy framework
towards the informal sector.

“National development programmes and
strategies like budget allocations must reflect
the fact that the informal economy is the larg-
est sector, hence almost 80% the budget alloca-
tion should be thus. There must be support for
institutions providing incubation facilities in a
transparent manner like Financial Securities Ex-
change,” the declaration said.

In terms of public procurement, the unions
suggested that policies and laws be put in place
to create the requisite environment through
transparency in public procurement and cor-
rection of issues picked by the Auditor-General
amid calls for the government and local authori-
ties to actively support small-scale operators.

The labour representatives also called on the
National Social Security Authority and the gov-
ernment to capitalise on efforts like the Growth
Enterprise Market Portal so that retrenches,
informal economy traders, small and medi-
um-scale enterprises can be incubated in prepa-
ration for access to long-term finance.

Speaking to The NewsHawks on the declara-
tion, the ZCTU’s head of parliamentary affairs,
advocacy and external relations, Vimbai Zinya-
ma, who was tge lead facilitator during the en-
gagements, said policy transformation will be
the only way to unlock the untapped potential.

“That is key because these will create an en-
vironment for turn key strategies to become
implementable and then transform the environ-
ment.

“The growth of the informal economy is a re-
sult of exclusionary policies that have prevailed
for a long time and so to reverse and replace
with developmental and transformative strate-

DUMISANI NYONI Work-related injuries bleed economy

ZIMBABWE lost more than US$439 million versely affect business activities by loss of revenue
due to occupational injuries over a 10-year period and rising operational costs.
from 2009 to 2018, National Social Security Au-
thority (Nssa) occupational safety health deputy Nyereyegona said the results provided insights
director Betty Isabel Nyereyegona has said. into potential costs of work-related injuries in
Zimbabwe and further give a basis for targeted
“Overall, the estimated injury total cost as occupational safety health programmes in po-
percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) is tentially high-risk sectors as exhibited by the lost
about 0.3% or about US$439 million was lost time, injury frequency rate and injury cost esti-
due to occupational injuries over the 10-year pe- mates thereof.
riod 2009 to 2018,” she said in a presentation
made during a journalist mentorship programme According to the International Labour Organ-
last week. isation (ILO), the burden of accident prevention
at work is of global magnitude as currently an es-
“This suggests that as much as about US$44 timated 2.78 million workers are lost every year
million was lost per annum due to occupational because of occupational accidents or work-relat-
injuries. Cost estimates could be an underestima- ed accidents and diseases.
tion,” she said.
The ILO figures also show that an additional
“That’s what we lost to injuries at the work- 374 million workers suffer non-fatal injuries and
place and which was estimated to be about 0.3% illnesses.
of our GDP. But looking at other countries and
other standards, the range which the occupation- The Zimbabwean government is working to
al injuries impact a nation is that it can range expedite the enactment of the harmonised Oc-
from 2% to 4% of GDP and that’s quite signifi- cupational Safety and Health Bill, which will ex-
cant looking at this coming from things that are tend the scope of occupational safety and health
preventable.” coverage in the country to the informal sector.

Occupational hazards harm workers and ad-

Page 28 Stock Taking NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Price Sheet A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Thursday, 18 November 2021

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
AFDIS Consumer Goods Ticker Price (cents) Traded Volume Value ($) (cents) ($m)
African Sun Consumer Services (%)
ART Price -
Ariston Industrials 2,622,000
Axia Consumer Services AFDIS: ZH 11000.00 - 11000.00 - - - 358.33 13,144.40
BNC ASUN: ZH 1018.75 995.00 995.00 100 26,089,010 -23.75 -2.33 485.29 14,168.12
BAT Consumer Goods ARTD: ZH 1054.76 1100.00 1100.00 20,100 45.24 4.29 130.46
CAFCA Basic Materials 350.29 350.50 343.27 2,200 1,100 -7.02 -2.00 156.17 4,806.75
Cassava ARISTON: ZH 3961.05 3965.00 3908.86 316,200 68,998 -52.19 -1.32 326.73 5,586.36
CBZ Consumer Goods AXIA: ZH 501.63 500.00 500.01 85,995 -1.62 -0.32 31.58 21,582.78
CFI Industrials BIND: ZH 274000.00 - 1,581,018 398.18 6,363.79
Dairibord 17000.00 - 274000.00 - - - 89.10 56,535.84
Delta Technology BAT: ZH 5062.95 - 17000.00 275,400 - - - 752.18 1,484.97
Econet Banking CAFCA: ZH 9454.55 4950.00 5539.18 2,900 - 476.23 9.41 11.57 143,496.74
Edgars 7500.00 9600.00 9534.48 - 15,254,920 79.93 0.85 10500.71 49,833.05
FBC Industrials CSZL: ZH 4903.65 - 7500.00 - 276,500 - - 274.32 7,953.07
Fidelity Consumer Goods CBZ: ZH 17951.58 - 4903.65 324,000 - - - 663.81 17,555.11
First Capital Consumer Goods CFI:ZH 7969.75 17295.00 17377.33 341,500 - -574.25 -3.20 692.59 226,630.90
FML Telecommunications 7485.00 7489.95 14,200 56,302,550 -479.80 -6.02 349.80 194,032.91
FMP Consumer Services DZL: ZH 300 25,578,180 -0.24 -0.04 126.46 3,261.49
GBH DLTA: ZH 200 76,646 - - 319.51 22,846.30
Getbucks Banking ECO: ZH 3,400 10,200 - - 186.36
Hippo Financial Services 2,700 1,600 13.28 4.40 138.10 871.39
Innscor EDGR: ZH 540.00 539.00 539.76 400 10,710 57.14 2.34 174.69 6,803.42
Lafarge Banking FBC: ZH 3400.00 3400.00 3400.00 5,300 67,500 -5.00 -0.56 737.38 17,253.58
Mash Financial Services FIDL: ZH 800.00 800.00 800.00 100 3,560 -0.27 -0.13 6380.00 11,019.60
Masimba FCA: ZH 301.72 315.00 315.00 1,400 10,651 -6.67 -0.82 283.33 1,078.38
Medtech Real Estate 2442.86 2500.00 2500.00 85,600 810 -490.00 -1.40 378.93 9,421.26
Meikles Industrials FMHL: ZH 895.00 890.00 890.00 - 483,000 -972.55 -5.20 858.33 66,592.09
Nampak FMP: ZH 201.24 200.00 200.97 800 15,180,800 - - 383.87 101,065.19
NatFoods Financial Services GBH: ZH 816.67 810.00 810.00 9,900 - 49.82 12.45 345.94 7,360.00
NTS Consumer Goods 34990.00 34500.00 34500.00 642,700 3,600 -0.51 -0.01 178.48 8,365.83
NMBZ GBFS: ZH 18707.13 17200.00 17734.58 600 494,455 2.93 15.36 808.90 12,069.39
OK Zim Industrials HIPO: ZH 9200.00 9200.00 10,000,300 141,425 -2000.00 -9.09 360.02
Proplastics Industrials 400.18 - 450.00 200 120,000 - - 2728.62 668.75
RTG Real Estate INN: ZH 4995.00 480.00 4994.50 - 105,003,600 -1693.55 -0.99 2085.79 50,529.22
RioZim Industrials LACZ: ZH 4990.00 - 340,000 - - 199.73
SeedCo Healthcare MASH: ZH 19.07 22.00 22.00 732,500 - - - 189.08 7,934.31
Simbisa Industrials MSHL: ZH 22000.00 20000.00 20000.00 - - -157.40 -5.70 248.44 116,280.18
Star Africa Industrials MMDZ: ZH 1050.00 1050.00 1050.00 100 19,057,450 - - 150.46
Truworths Consumer Goods MEIK: ZH 171693.55 170000.00 170000.00 27,400 - 20.25 4.40 147.46 1,523.23
TSL Industrials NPKZ: ZH 84,900 480 - - 417.18 4,846.26
Turnall 600.00 - 600.00 21,500 1,013,800 -8.38 -0.07 647.79 33,454.85
Unifreight Banking NTFD: ZH 1199.06 - 1199.06 116,100 10,098,910 -273.15 -2.95 380.63 7,558.07
Willdale Consumer Services NTS: ZH 300 1,932,170 -0.62 -0.48 714.14 11,984.62
ZB NMB: ZH 14,800 150,658 0.17 0.07 284.93 4,515.09
Zeco Industrials 300 721 0.43 0.01 480.65 29,404.90
Zimpapers Consumer Services OKZ: ZH 2759.10 2600.00 2601.70 - 982,720 -1.00 -0.18 18179.57 50,522.65
Zimplow PROL: ZH 3000.00 - 3000.00 87,300 1,620 - - 864.81 6,118.76
ZHL Basic Materials 460.00 480.25 200 - -3.21 -1.03 220.83
TOTAL Consumer Goods RTG: ZH 3700.00 480.25 3700.00 - 269,527 - - 1100.00 922.41
Consumer Goods RIOZ: ZH 11903.44 3700.00 11895.06 900 15,400 - - 206.12 23,711.60
Consumer Goods SEED: ZH 9259.99 11900.00 8986.84 100 - -10.94 -3.52 440.00
Consumer Services 9000.00 14,200 2,700 49.98 1.89 24.39 2,662.42
Consumer Goods SIM: ZH 15,773,100 2,700 -0.09 -0.02 3,620.12
55,375 5,489.40
Industrials SACL: ZH 130.39 128.00 129.77 280,771,059 13,489.68
Industrials TRUW: ZH 240.00 240.25 240.17
Industrials 6639.57 6640.00 6640.00 1.11
TSL: ZH 541.00 540.00 540.00 1,728.00
Banking TURN: ZH 3400.00 3400.00 9,303.67
Industrials UNIF: ZH 311.95 - 308.74 7,090.33
Consumer Services WILD: ZH 7700.00 308.00 7700.00 1,424,542.35
Industrials ZBFH: ZH 7700.00
Financial Services ZECO: ZH 0.24 0.24
310.94 - 300.00
ZIMP: ZH 2650.02 300.00 2700.00
ZIMPLOW: ZH 390.05 2700.00 389.96
390.00
ZHL: ZH

ETFs OMTT.zw 535.23 510.00 510.40 2,511 12,816 -24.83 -4.64 409.28 408.32
Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF

FINSEC Financial Services OMZIL 7100.00 - 7100.00 - -- - 167.92 5,893.83
Old Mutual Zimbabwe

VFEX (US cents) US$m

Padenga Consumer Goods PHL:VX 19.50 - 19.50 - -- - -45.83 105.61

SeedCo International Consumer Goods SCIL:VX 28.00 - 28.00 - -- - 55.56 106.81

Index Close Change (%) Open YTD % Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
ZSE All Share 11,818.24 -1.24 11,966.52 +349.47 Medtech 22.00c +2.93c +15.36 +178.48
Top 10 7,583.82 -1.67 +358.38 Mash +12.45 +383.87
Top 15 8,338.87 -1.65 7,712.38 +328.06 Cassava 450.00c +49.82c +9.41 +752.18
Small Cap +0.64 8,478.55 +3283.12 RTG 5539.18c +476.23c +4.40 +150.46
Medium Cap 401,785.06 -0.16 399,218.53 +285.08 First Capital +4.40 +186.36
21,427.23 21,461.10 480.25c +20.25c
315.00c +13.28c

Top 5 Fallers Price Change % YTD %
Meikles 20000.00c -2000.00c -9.09 +808.90
Econet -6.02 +692.59
OK Zim 7489.95c -479.80c -5.70 +189.08
Innscor 2601.70c -157.40c -5.20 +378.93
Zimpapers 17734.58c -972.55c -3.52 +206.12

300.00c -10.94c

SALES & TRADING: Davide Muchengi: [email protected] | Lungani Nyamazana: [email protected] | Tatenda Jasi: [email protected]

RESEARCH: Batanai Matsika: [email protected] | Precious Chagwedera: [email protected] | Tafara Mtutu: [email protected]

Tel: (+263) 08677008101-2 | Email: [email protected] | Address: 1st Floor, Block D, Smatsatsa Office Park, Borrowdale, Harare

MORGAN & COMPANY has issued this document for distribution to its clients. It may not be reproduced or further distributed in whole or in part for any purpose. This document is not and should not be construed as
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe to any investment. MORGAN & COMPANY has based this document on information obtained from sources it believes to be reliable but which it

has not independently verified; MORGAN & COMPANY makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts no responsibility or liability as to the accuracy or completeness of its content.

NewsHawks News Analysis Page 29

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Dividend of Zim coup eludes
citizens as they regret naivety

NYASHA CHINGONO

THE military coup that led to the Members of Parliament celebrate after president Robert Mugabe’s resignation. Photo by Jekesai Njikizana, Agence France-Presse
ouster of the late longtime ruler
Robert Mugabe has failed to revive of the early priorities of the Mnan- former Foreign Affairs minister and tion have been released and cleared Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza
Zimbabwe’s economic fortunes and gagwa regime, suffered a setback. coup announcer Sibusiso Moyo with time. Zimbabweans call it a said Zimbabweans were gullible to
usher in confidence in governance, now gone and the military take- “catch and release” syndrome and sanitize the coup. 
while corruption has continued un- With the re-engagement drive over pact in disarray, the November have lost faith in the regime’s com-
abated, analysts have said. now off the rails following a series 2017 events have become an ago- mitment to fight high-level corrup- “It was just a factional war where
of blunders and heavy-handedness, nising reminder of what could have tion. one faction emerged the winner.
While President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime has gone for been. Although coups are known to The promises were all false. The
Mnangagwa’s government never broke in silencing critics, jailing op- produce contests over legitimacy, Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption coup was a project to loot,” Man-
loses an opportunity to hype up the position leaders and journalists. Zimbabwe’s military takeover was drive is ringing hollow in the face daza said. 
“successes” of the “New Dispen- unique because there was consen- of grand corruption in government,
sation”, the reality on the ground Although the international com- sus that Mugabe had overstayed in amid allegations that somebers of “It was dzungu (euphoria). They
points to increased poverty, worsen- munity largely embraced Mnan- power hence his departure was wel- his family are involved in illegal sold us a dummy,” he added. 
ing economic conditions and loss of gagwa in November 2017, the en- comed, even by Zimbabwe’s naïve mining deals.  Once viewed as a
livelihoods.  thusiasm has waned. Britain, which opposition and civil society. pragmatic and pro-business leader Political analyst Stephen Chan
was Zimbabwe’s biggest cheerleader following the coup, Mnangagwa is said the coup succeeded in keeping
Like mist, the euphoria which after the coup, has had to take a Zimbabwe is however back in widely perceived as an reincarnation Zanu PF in power.
gripped Zimbabweans who took cautious approach following a spate pariah status with sanctions still of Mugabe, who had a soft spot for
to the streets cheering Mugabe’s re- of human rights abuses. hanging over the country while the dodgy businessmen.  “A change of face at the top did
moval has dissipated over the past government continues to explore not mean change overall,” said
four years, with many expressing Britain has since abandoned less effective means like lobbying, The situation on the ground has Chan.
their regret for endorsing and thus Zimbabwe’s project to re-join the contrived marches and music galas.  changed and is remarkably differ-
giving the military coup a veneer of Commonwealth and stopped sup- ent. He said although the coup was
respectability. porting its re-engagement with in- Mnangagwa has failed to imple- meant to redress years of misrule, it
ternational funders.  ment far-reaching political, eco- The mood of hope and expecta- has failed to achieve any meaningful
The facade of the military op- nomic and electoral reforms to set tion which engulfed the nation in progress. 
eration that ousted Mugabe and The hope instilled in many Zim- Zimbabwe on a path to recovery.  2017 has given way to an atmo-
paved the power for Mnangagwa’s babweans has over the last four sphere of gloom and despair. “Mugabe had run out of imag-
rise has also come off in dramatic years disappeared with the public Instead, he has mutilated the ination. The coup was, in part, in
fashion with corruption, human growing more impatient with the widely lauded constitution to en- The economy is far worse off hope of restoring vision and imagi-
rights abuses and economic misfor- new government.  trench his power by extending Chief compared to the same period last nation to Zimbabwean policies and
tunes playing out like scenes from Justice Luke Malaba’s contract amid year. Livelihoods have been dec- politics. It has, I regret, very much
an all-too-familiar movie.  So much has changed. Mug- fears that the President could also imated with millions across the not succeeded in doing so,” Chan
abe is now a footnote in Zimba- extend the presidential term limit.  country going hungry. said. 
For Zimbabweans who celebrat- bwe’s chequered history, buried in
ed when Mugabe stepped, life has a courtyard in his rural Zvimba The “New Dispensation” has The markets are reeling from cur- “What the legacy of Zanu PF
become worse, sentiments echoed home, amid threats of exhumation.  also outdone itself in terms of cor- rency volatility, price instability and might be, as we enter the second
by many when the veteran leader ruption. Smuggling of gold by top shortages of basic commodities.  major economic decline the coun-
died.  What was meant to be a fresh officials connected to the President try has faced — the first was in
beginning under the “New Dispen- has continued unabated, while Analysts say the original intent Mugabe's tenure — is an open
It is a slap in the face of thou- sation” has become an agonising high-ranking officials unfortunate of “Operation Restore Legacy” question. Is the legacy liberation, or
sands who marched the streets in missed opportunity for Zimbabwe- enough to be arrested over corrup- fronted by former military chief is it an economic meltdown?
enthusiastic zest to ensure an end to ans who dared to believe.  Constantino Chiwenga in 2017 has
37 years of dictatorship under Mug- been thrown out the window. For today's 'born free' genera-
abe — only to see prospects for a With coup plotters like the late tion, it's an economic meltdown,”
better life fast crumble.  he said.

The facade of the “New Dispen-
sation” quickly disappeared as the
militaryacked Mnangagwa regime
showed its true colours early.

What began as a peaceful protest
in Harare where a group of oppo-
sition supporters besieged the Zim-
babwe Electoral Commission (Zec)
building on 1 August 2018 de-
manding the early release of results,
turned into a bloodbath which
claimed six lives, leaving several in-
jured after soldiers opened fire on
defenceless citizens. 

Although a commission of inqui-
ry was instituted to investigate the
killings, the recommendations to
bring to book the culprits and com-
pensate families have been ignored,
four years on, with some still nurs-
ing gunshot wounds. 

As if the 1 August 2018
state-sponsored brutality was not
enough to show the world that the
“New Dispensation” was only a per-
petuation of Mugabe’s misrule, the
state descended on civilians again
in January 2019.  Following wide-
spread protests over rising fuel pric-
es, state-sponsored violence reared
its ugly head again, with at least 17
people dying at the hands of the se-
curity forces. The world noticed and
the re-engagement programme, one

Page 30 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

THE Private Voluntary Organisations Zim govt's new NGO “submit the order for registration to
(PVO) Amendment Bill has been pub- Bill unconstitutional whichever court would have had ju-
lished and it intends to amend the Pri- to the Act. contributions for those purposes, or must be free to engage in legitimate risdiction to make such an order had
vate Voluntary Organisations Act. Extending the scope of the Act else to register their trust as a PVO.  political activities which fall within the matter been determined by it, and
Clause 2 of the Bill will extend the Trustees will be able to avoid doing so the objectives for which the organi- thereupon the order shall have effect,
We shall analyse the Bill itself.  Be- only if they can persuade the registrar sations were established.  It is quite for purposes of enforcement, of a judg-
fore doing so, we should note that the application of the Act to cover persons, that the notice was made in error. conceivable, for example, that PVOs ment of the appropriate court”.
International Centre for Not-for-Profit legal arrangements, bodies, associa- established to protect the environment Problems with the new section
Law has published a helpful commen- tions or institutions which the minister It is not clear what the purpose of might want to express support for a The new section suffers from the
tary on the Bill, which can be accessed declares in regulations to be vulnerable this provision is, and the Bill’s memo- political party campaigning for mea- same incoherence that plagues much
on the Veritas website. to misuse by terrorist organisations, or randum gives no answer. sures to alleviate the effects of climate of the Bill.  Although it begins by re-
The purpose of the Bill at high risk of being misused by terror- Is this constitutional? change.  They should be permitted to quiring the minister to apply to the
According to its memorandum, the ist organisations.  The persons, legal Probably not.  Freedom of association do this – indeed they have a right to High Court for an order suspending
Bill has three purposes: arrangements, bodies etc covered by a is guaranteed by section 58 of the con- do it. committee members, later on (in sub-
ministerial declaration will have to reg- stitution and can be limited only by a section (5)) it seems to imply that the
• to comply with recommenda- ister as PVOs under the Act and will law that is fair, reasonable, justifiable As to a PVO breaching section 7 minister can suspend them before ap-
tions made by the Financial be subject not only to the requirements and necessary in an open democratic of the Political Parties (Finance) Act, plying for an order.
Action Task Force (FATF), and obligation laid down in the Act but society (section 86 of the constitu- it is hard to see how a registered PVO
also to any additional requirements the tion).  A democratic society cannot ex- could possibly do this.  But assuming The provision for a trustee to reg-
• to streamline administrative Minister may specify in regulations. ist without freedom of association, so it could, it should be prosecuted under ister an order calling on committee
procedures and allow for the limitations on it must be as few and as that Act rather than under the PVO members to restore funds or assets does
efficient regulation and admin- Is this constitutional? light as possible [we shall return to this Act. not make sense.  The order which the
istration of PVOs, and No, it violates the Constitution in at theme later].  In the absence of a stated Suspension of executive committee trustee will register is itself an order of
least two respects: reason for prohibiting trusts from rais- of PVO the High Court, a court with plenary
• to prevent PVOs from • The minister is not obliged to ing funds – and in any legal challenge Clause 7 of the Bill will replace section jurisdiction throughout Zimbabwe, so
• undertaking political lobbying to the prohibition the onus would be 21 of the Act which, as we noted in why on earth should it be registered
give notice to the persons, legal on the government to justify it – the Bill Watch 72/2021, was declared un- with some other court in order to be
[This purpose is mentioned in arrangements, etc. before de- prohibition seems irrational and exces- constitutional by the Supreme Court enforced?
the memorandum almost as an claring them to be vulnerable sive, going beyond the limitations per- on the ground that it does not afford Is the new section constitutional?
afterthought, but it may be the to terrorist misuse, nor will he mitted by the constitution. PVOs an opportunity to be heard be- Not entirely, though it is better than
principal objective of the Bill]. or she have to invite them to Prohibition against political lobby- fore the Minister suspends their com- the existing section:
The first of these purposes, compli- make representations before ing mittees [which in many PVOs are
ance with FATF recommendations, making the declaration.  Clause 5 of the Bill will insert a provi- called “boards”]. • One of the grounds on which
needs some explanation. • This violates the principles of sion into the Act permitting the PVO the minister can apply for
The FATF Recommendations due process and, more specifi- Board to cancel the registration of a The new section rectifies that, at the suspension of committee
FATF is an inter-governmental or- cally, infringes section 68 of the PVO if it engages in political activities.  least in part, by requiring the minister members, that “it is necessary
ganisation set up in 1989 to act as a constitution which guarantees Unfortunately – and here we come up to get an order from the High Court or desirable … in the public
global watchdog against money laun- everyone the right to admin- against the Bill’s incoherence again – it before committee or board members interest”, is excessively wide in
dering and terrorist financing.  It has istrative conduct that is proce- is almost impossible to discern what can be suspended.  Under the new sec- the light of the constitutional
set international standards, known as durally fair. political activities will trigger cancella- tion, the Minister can make an appli- protection of
the FATF Recommendations or FATF • A declaration by the minister tion.  If the provision is construed at its cation to the High Court for an order
Standards, to prevent these illegal ac- will extend the Act to cover in- widest, it would permit cancellation if suspending the committee of a PVO • freedom of association.  It
tivities.  The standards ensure a co-or- stitutions that are not currently a PVO: and appointing a trustee to manage its means that members can be
dinated global response to prevent within its ambit, and will im- affairs, if it appears to the minister that: suspended even if they have
organised crime, corruption and ter- pose additional controls over • supports or opposes a political not been guilty of maladmin-
rorism, and to help authorities identify them that are not currently laid party or candidate in an elec- • the PVO has ceased to operate istration and have not been
and recover the proceeds of cross-bor- down in the Act.  A declaration tion, or in furtherance of its objectives, involved in illegal activities. 
der crimes such as drug dealing and will therefore constitute a ma- What other legitimate grounds
human trafficking. jor • is a party to a breach of sec- • maladministration is adversely for suspension can there be?
A regional body called the East- • amendment of the Act, which tion 7 of the Political Parties affecting the PVO’s activities,
ern and Southern Africa Anti-Money the minister will make by reg- (Finance) Act, which prohibits • The minister’s power to appoint
Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), set ulations.  It will amount to foreigners domiciled outside • the PVO is involved in illegal a provisional trustee without
up to monitor compliance with the usurping Parliament’s prima- Zimbabwe from soliciting do- activities, or affording the PVO concerned
FATF recommendations, found that ry law-making power which, nations from the public within a hearing breaches the rules of
Zimbabwe was only partially com- in terms of section 134 of the Zimbabwe on behalf of a polit- • it is necessary or desirable in due process enshrined in sec-
pliant with FATF recommendation 8 constitution, cannot be dele- ical party or candidate. the public interest to suspend tion 68 of the Constitution.
which, in summary, says that countries gated to a minister. the committee.
should apply focused and proportion- Prohibition against fund-raising by Is this constitutional, assuming we Assessment of Risk for Purposes of
ate measures to protect vulnerable trusts have construed it correctly? The new section is still unconstitu- FATF Standards
non-profit organisations against being Clause 2 of the Bill also contains a pro- No.  Freedom of association under sec- tional however, because pending the Clause 8 of the Bill will insert a new
used as cover for the financing of ter- vision permitting the registrar (i.e. the tion 58 of the constitution extends to issue of a court order, the Minister can section 22 into the Act requiring the
rorist activities. director of Social Welfare) to prohibit associating for political purposes, and appoint a temporary trustee to run the minister, at least once every five years
The incoherence of the Bill trusts that are registered with the High this is reinforced by section 67 which PVO’s affairs, and the minister can do and with the co-operation of the Re-
Any analysis of the Bill is made diffi- Court, but are not registered PVOs, says that every Zimbabwean citizen has this without inviting representations serve Bank’s Financial Intelligence
cult by its incoherence, which at times from collecting contributions from the the right to form, join and participate from the PVO concerned. And as in Unit, to assess the vulnerability of
descends almost to gibberish.  Take for public or from outside Zimbabwe for in the activities of political organisa- the existing section, committee mem- PVOs and other similar organisations
example this attempt to define “mate- any of the purposes specified in the tions.  So if an association wants to bers who have been suspended for to being used for terrorist financing. 
rial change”: definition of “private voluntary organ- support or oppose a particular political more than 30 days will cease to hold On the basis of this assessment the
“material change” in relation to the isation” (that is, charitable purposes, party or candidate it should be allowed office and be disqualified from stand- minister will be able, so it seems (that
amendment of the particulars of the social welfare assistance, legal aid and to do so, particularly if its members ing for re-election. incoherence again!), to do one of two
original application for registration animal welfare).  The registrar will send are Zimbabwean citizens.  Registered things:
means— a notice to the trustees of such a trust PVOs may need some restrictions, to If a trustee finds that committee
(a)      any change in the constitu- compelling them either to sign a sworn prevent funds donated for charitable members have misappropriated the • to require any PVO or organ-
tion governing the private voluntary declaration that they will not collect purposes being diverted to politicians PVO’s funds or assets, he or she will be isation to take specified mea-
organisation concerned happens upon and their parties, but otherwise they able to make an affidavit setting out his sures to mitigate their vulner-
the termination for any reason of the or her findings and apply to the High ability, or
private voluntary organisation with re- Court for an order directing them to
spect to the disposal of its assets on the restore the funds or assets by a specified • to make regulations prescribing
date of its termination”. date.  If the court grants the order and special measures to be taken by
What that is supposed to mean is the committee members do not com- “designated” PVOs and organ-
anyone’s guess. ply with it, the trustee will: isations [we have put the word
We turn now to look at what, so “designated” in inverted com-
far as we can gather, are the important mas because there is no indica-
amendments which the Bill will make tion of how PVOs and organ-
isations are to be designated].  

Designated PVOs and organisations

ADVERT SPACE

For more information visit-; To place your booking contact
Charmaine on 0735 666 122
The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLive www.newshawks.com [email protected] Email- [email protected]
Land line- (0242) 721 144/5

NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 31

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

will have 14 days in which to contest ly the same and for which the fending PVO and any or all of its of- • its officers have been prosecut- even to prevent them from engaging in
their designation on the ground that it penalty is much lower. fice-bearers, obliging them jointly and ed criminally for the default, civic education or election observation
was made in error, or that the measures • There will be no effective severally to pay a civil penalty of up to and even if they have been ac- or similar activities.  Whatever inter-
they are required to take are unreason- • appeal against the minister’s de- ZW$10 000 unless they can show that: quitted of the criminal offence.  pretation is put on the clause, it could
able or disproportionate. cisions under the new section. There is therefore double jeop- certainly be abused.
Is the new section constitutional? • the civil penalty order was is- ardy.  [It should be pointed out
If a designated PVO or organisation Some aspects of the new section are sued in error, or however that although the new Almost 200 years ago a perceptive
fails to register as a PVO under the Act, certainly unconstitutional: Schedule which the clause will Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville,
it and its office-bearers will be guilty of • The lack of involvement of • the contravention was not wil- insert in the Act expressly pro- wrote a book, Democracy in America,
a criminal offence and liable to a fine of PVOs in the assessment of their ful, or vides for such double jeopardy, following a visit to the United States. 
level 14 (currently Z$500 000) or ten vulnerability infringes the rules it could never happen in prac- One of the features of American de-
years’ imprisonment or both.  In addi- of natural justice enshrined in • the contravention was beyond tice because the defaults for mocracy that particularly struck him
tion the minister will be able to get the section 68 of the the control of the PVO or its which the schedule allows civil was the way Americans set up societ-
registrar to revoke or suspend the or- • Constitution, one of the most officers. penalties to be imposed are not ies and associations to accomplish an
ganisation’s licence or registration and important of which is the right in fact criminal offences – yet enormous variety of things:  establish-
order the removal of its office-bearers. to have a voice in decisions that Failure to pay a civil penalty within another ing schools, universities, hospitals and
affect one’s interests. 90 days of its issue will be a criminal prisons, building churches, sending
PVOs and other organisations ag- • The penalty for failing to regis- offence for which the PVO concerned • example of the Bill’s incoher- missionaries abroad – all these were
grieved by the minister’s decisions un- ter as a PVO is disproportion- and “every one of its officers” will be ence]. done through societies.  He considered
der the new section will have a right to ate to the offence, as we have liable to a fine of level six (currently these societies vital to democracy and
appeal to the High Court, BUT only said, and therefore constitutes ZW$30  000) or one year’s imprison- Evaluation of the Bill to social progress:  societies were the
on procedural grounds. cruel or degrading punishment ment or both. Overall, the Bill is badly conceived cradle of democratic self-reliance be-
Problems with the new section for the purposes of section 53 and badly put together.  The PVO Act cause even non-political ones fostered
There are several problems with the of the constitution. Are these provisions constitution- is unconstitutional in several respects, the skills of government.  Societies
new section 22: Civil penalties al? and this Bill will only add to its uncon- were also vital to economic develop-
Clauses 9 and 11 of the Bill insert a stitutionality. ment.  Americans did not wait for their
• The assessment of PVOs’ vul- new Schedule providing for the impo- Several of our statutes provide for Perhaps the most dangerous aspect government to provide them with ser-
nerability will be done by the sition of civil penalties for certain con- civil penalties.  Their constitutional- of the Bill is its vagueness.  Its provi- vices and development;  they formed
minister and a unit of the Re- traventions of the Act, namely: ity has not yet been tested in court, sions are not clearly drafted and while societies and did it themselves.  As a
serve Bank.  The PVO Board • a PVO failing to apply for the though it is open to doubt – particu- this frequently results in incoherence, result the United States became the
will not be involved, and indi- amendment of its registration larly in this case, because: as we have noted, it will also encourage economic giant it is today.
vidual PVOs will have no say after there has been a material government officials to place an undu-
in the matter.  This is contrary change [see above for the lack • There is no provision for the ly repressive interpretation on the Bill’s We in this country could emulate
to what FATF itself says, that of clarity of this phrase] in its imposition of a civil penalty vague and broadly drawn provisions.  the success of the United States with-
countries should work with original particulars of registra- and its amount to be confirmed Clause 5 of the Bill is the prime exam- in our African sphere, if only we en-
PVOs and civil society organ- tion (the new section 13A(2)) by a court;  hence the penalty ple of this:  it seems to prohibit PVOs courage societies – PVOs – of all kinds
isations during the risk assess- • a PVO transferring its certifi- may be imposed arbitrarily and from supporting or opposing political to multiply and do their work.  If we
ment process. cate of registration to its amount fixed without prop- parties or candidates in an election, try to limit their activities and subject
• another PVO without permis- er regard to but it is not entirely clear that it does so them to stultifying government con-
• It is does not state how PVOs sion from the registrar (section nor, if it does, what sort of support or trol, we shall stifle not only democracy
• and other institutions are to be 13A(5)). • all the circumstances. opposition is prohibited.  but also our economic development. 
In the event of such a contravention, • No appeal is allowed against If the clause is enacted the govern- That is what this Bill, if enacted, will
“designated” or who is to desig- the Registrar or a designated member ment will almost certainly use it to pre- do.
nate them. of his or her staff will be entitled to a civil penalty order, except vent PVOs from expressing any form
• The penalty for failing to regis- serve a civil penalty order on the of- to the person who imposed it of support for any political party;  per- —Veritas.
ter as a PVO is grossly excessive, and on the limited grounds we haps they will use it to prevent PVOs *About the writer: Veritas makes
completely disproportionate to mentioned above. from supporting particular policies put every effort to ensure reliable infor-
the offence, and it is not clear • All the officers of a defaulting forward by a political party;  perhaps mation, but cannot take legal respon-
how the new offence relates to PVO can be rendered liable to sibility for information supplied.
the offence under section 6(3a) pay a civil penalty, regardless of
of the Act, which is essential- their individual fault.  They are
also all criminally liable if the
penalty is not paid.
• A civil penalty can be imposed
even if the defaulting PVO and

Criminalising sexual harassment in Zim;
A vital step for women's empowerment

MEMORY KADAU ing the options available to women in of words, gestures or actions which and hold perpetrators to account. The ment must be deterrent and retributive
their life.  tend to annoy, alarm, abuse, demean, judicial system must be able to protect enough so that would-be offenders are
AT the age of 13, I always dreaded intimidate, belittle, humiliate or em- the victims of sexual harassment, reha- dissuaded from committing similar of-
the walk down the street to the corner Yet with all this progress in wom- barrass another or which create an bilitate them, carry out comprehen- fences. The sentence must also offer a
shop to buy bread.  en's empowerment, women continue intimidating, hostile or offensive work sive investigations and appropriately strong sense of justice for the victims
to face various impediments of which environment. Harassment normally sentence offenders. This can only be so that they can heal and move on
Similarly, the walk from either Co- sexual harassment is one such serious implies a series of incidents." It covers possible when there is a law proscrib- and others feel that there is sense in
pacabana or Market Square bus termi- challenge which has been ongoing in such issues as unwanted touching or ing various actions which constitute reporting the cases. On the other side,
nuses in Harare is still terrifying for the many communities. In Zimbabwe, caressing of body parts, body shaming, sexual harassment beyond the narrow sentences must also allow for rehabil-
37-year-old me! there is currently no standalone law posting nudes or sex tapes online and confines currently provided for in the itation of the offender so they realise
which protects women in public and demanding sexual favours for women Labour Act and Criminal Code. that their actions where deplorable.
Ask your mother, sister, daughter, private spaces from sexual harassment. to access social services or employment
wife, cousin, they will tell you their The current law covers sexual harass- opportunity. These can occur in pri- Furthermore, sexual harassment is Overall, the steps being taken by
experiences and encounter with sexual ment at the workplace through the vate settings such families and compa- now rife on digital platforms, partic- Parliament are positive and the wom-
harassment!  Labour nies or in public spaces such as schools, ularly social media platforms such as en’s movement in Zimbabwe must
bus termini, hospitals, work, commu- WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok keep on pushing so that the law is ex-
I have also asked a number of fe- Act and some actions constitut- nity water points and churches among and Instagram, among others. The peditiously put in place. Enactment of
male relatives and friends about their ing sexual harassment are covered by other places. country has witnessed an upsurge in a Sexual Harassment Act will go a long
experiences and the common thread the Criminal Law (Codification and such vile acts of sexual harassment as way in the quest for the empowerment
is always unwarranted and unwanted Reform) Act, known as the Criminal In addition to the sexual harassment revenge porn and the leaking of nudes of girls and women as they are dispro-
sexual innuendos.   Code. being a deplorable crime, it also affects to degrade and dehumanise a person, portionate targets of this vile offence.
the full enjoyment of rights by wom- especially women.
No woman should be afraid to walk It is in this context that recent ef- en to effectively participate in social, Zimbabwe’s social, economic and
down the street to buy bread! Anyone forts to put in place a standalone sexual economic and political spheres. Sexual Those in politics and leadership political development is dependent on
who contributes to the fear must be harassment law by Parliament should harassment creates and sustains a cul- have also been targeted for name call- the extent to which the majority of its
held accountable! be hailed as a step in the right direc- ture of objectifying women and see- ing and smear campaigns online using population, which are women, is able
tion.  The move by Parliament comes ing them as second-class citizens thus sexual harassment as the main tactic. to freely and effectively contribute.
In much of history, women have al- after concerted lobby and advocacy denying them equal opportunities. It An enabling environment which pro-
ways played second fiddle to the other efforts by the women’s movement in kills their sense of self-confidence and These women have been called tects them from sexual harassment is
gender because of structural barriers Zimbabwe which were aimed at fol- self-worth, entrapping women and prostitutes, cheap and useless, among a perquisite for the attainment of this
posed by patriarchy. The patriarchal lowing progressive steps like in other girls in a vicious cycle of marginalisa- other unprintable words, by hordes vision.
system places men at the commanding jurisdictions such as the Philippines, tion, abuse and powerlessness. of online trolls often doing service for
heights of social, economic and politi- South Africa and Sweden, to name politicians who are predominantly About the writer: Memory Pamel-
cal systems which give them immense just a few.  While the core of resolving sexual men. Therefore, a sexual harassment la Kadau is a feminist, gender expert
power to control society and women harassment lies in ensuring that we law must touch on all these acts which and activist. She writes here in her
as a gender. UN Women defines sexual harass- change cultural practices and com- happen online and disproportionately own capacity and can be contacted
ment as "any improper and unwel- munity attitudes, the formal judicial affect women.  on: [email protected], and
Over the last 100 years, there has come conduct that might reasonably system still has a role to play in the you can follow her on Twitter: @
been progress in the movement to be expected or be perceived to cause process in terms of access to justice More importantly, the judicial sys- memorykadau
empower women. Today, women now offence or humiliation to another per- tem must provide for appropriate sen-
enjoy such rights as voting, owning son. Harassment may take the form tencing. Sentences for sexual harass-
property, campaigning for political
office and there is room for increas-

Page 32 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Female farmers prove resilient despite
little government support they receive

TAVARES CEBOLA and fertiliser.  the  majority  of Mozambique’s in innovative ways, including by fore that the damage caused by
“When borders closed, espe- agricultural sector – were facing shifting their sowing and harvest- continued shocks has not been as
On 15 October, Alcinda Zimba, serious challenges.  ing patterns. extreme as many predicted.
50, gathered with fellow female cially the one with South Africa
farmers in the southern Mo- in the south, agriculture inputs’ In 2017, a militant group af- “We transplant strawberry “Agriculture has been resilient
zambican village of Marracuene. prices rose and it made things a filiated with the so-called Islamic plants in May rather than March to the impacts of Covid-19 and
The smallholders, all members lot more difficult for small farm- State started conducting attacks or April as we used to do,” ex- had a dynamic contribution to
of the country’s largest farmers’ ers,” says Edson Mussa, a project in the northern region of Cabo plains Zimba. “I saw my fellow economic growth,” says Hernani
union, União Nacional de Cam- coordinator with Oxfam working Delgado. The ongoing conflict farmers who did transplant back Coelho da Silva, the FAO coun-
poneses  (UNAC), had come to- in northern Mozambique. “That has uprooted hundreds of thou- in March not getting the same re- try representative. “This proves
gether to celebrate International means farmers earn less money sands of people.  sults as I did.” the reasoning we had that, in
Day of Rural Women. But they and that affects their household countries with the demographics
also had much else to discuss. income.” At the same time, Mozam- In Manhiça, farmers are turn- and a structure like Mozambique,
bique is one of the country’s most ing to agroecological approaches investments to address poverty
Over the past 18 months, the According to a  study  by the vulnerable to the climate crisis that they say their ancestors used. should be directed to rural areas
Covid-19 pandemic has severely UN’s Food and Agriculture Or- and has faced a series of extreme Mabui says she now covers plants and the agricultural sector.”
disrupted their livelihoods. When ganisation (FAO), 76% of the weather events. In 2019, Cyclone with grass to protect them, pro-
lockdowns came into force last households in Mozambique ex- Idai hit central Mozambique and duces and stores her own seeds, Back at the celebration of In-
year, the shops, restaurants and perienced moderate to severe Cyclone Kenneth devastated the and uses natural rather than syn- ternational Day of Rural Wom-
schools that usually bought the food insecurity at the height of north. Thousands died and hun- thetic fertilisers. en, farmers exhibit their pro-
farmers’ produce closed down. the pandemic. dreds of thousands more were duce while others harvest food
Some have since re-opened, but displaced. This January, Cyclone “We were doing it but didn’t from the backyard garden of the
many have not. Producers have In the face of these difficulties, Eloise caused further  damage. know the name agroecology,” she union’s branch. They face count-
had to adapt. farmers like Zimba have had to Floods and droughts have be- says. “We have healthy food.” less challenges, but say they will
lean on each other. Among other come more frequent.  “Not as bad as feared”  persevere in agriculture. 
“We don’t sell as much as things, agricultural associations When Mozambique went into
we used to, but at least we can have swapped inputs or pooled “At some point last year, with lockdown, the government As Isidro Macaringue, an advo-
reach some people,” says Zimba. money to support one another.  floods and Covid-19, we were promised financial  support  to cacy officer at UNAC, says: “Even
“Last week I was contacted via not able to feed ourselves and our “vulnerable households”. An though they had to work isolated
WhatsApp and sent an order to “We exchange seeds,” says Re- children,” says Rita Nhabanga, FAO  report  from August 2021, from others or work in small-
Maputo.” beca Mabui, 56, a farmer from 54, a farmer in southern Mozam- however, found that just 4% of er groups because of Covid-19,
Manhiça. “We sell to our fellow bique. agricultural households (and 1% farmers did not stop farming."
Zimba says she now mostly farmers. We’re finding ways to re- of non-agricultural households)
sells to individuals. The challeng- cover. You share what you have.” “Everything was destroyed in had received any assistance.  —The Conversation.
es, however, have not been lim- Insecurity and climate crisis our farms and we relied on help *About the writer: is a free-
ited to selling produce but also Even before COVID-19, small- from the church.”  It is largely thanks to farmers lance writer based in Maputo,
buying items such as seeds, tools scale farmers  –  who make up adapting and collaborating there- Mozambique.
Farmers have also had to adapt
to the challenge of climate change

NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 33

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

SIPHOSAMI MALUNGA A tale of broken promises:
Zimbabwe after Mugabe
FOR millions of Zimbabweans, who silver bullet.
had suffered political repression and sation has been a catalogue of failure 2017, all eyes were therefore on how The late president Robert Mugabe. Despite their promises, Mnangag-
economic deprivation and decline since November 2017, failing the sever- his regime would treat the opposi- and unprecedented improvement and
during the preceding 40 years, Mugabe’s al tests it faced. opening up of political, civic and me- wa and Zanu PF resorted to tried and
removal was a much-needed relief. Failed political reform tion. Never mind that Mnangagwa had dia space. But purges of G40 elements, tested tactics. They retained the taint-
The frst test for the post-coup regime been Mugabe’s mastermind and enforc- Mnangagwa’s erstwhile nemesis, contin- ed and discredited Zimbabwe Election
Little did it matter that it was his was openness to political reform. er of violence against the opposition, ued, with selective arrests and prosecu- Commission and secretariat, consid-
comrades, with whom he had killed going back to 1980. As security min- tions. There were still bans on protests, ered by many as lacking independence
thousands, stifled dissent, closed the Under Mugabe, Zanu PF had shown ister, he had directed the intelligence arbitrary arrests, the abuse of power and and made up of security and intelli-
democratic space and plundered the extreme political intolerance. In the aspects of the Gukurahundi operation authority, and regular violations of con- gence personnel. Again, as in previous
economy and public purse who re- 1980s, seeking a one-party state, Mug- that left 20 000 civilians dead. In 2000, stitutional and human rights that target- elections, the commission failed to
moved him, under the banner of the abe, with Mnangagwa as his security 2002 and 2008, he had also played a ed activists. release the voters roll on time and in
ironically titled Operation Restore Leg- minister, had massacred thousands of key role in election-related violence di- Fixed and flawed elections a searchable format, and even then it
acy. supporters of the opposition Zapu, forc- rected at MDC officials and supporters. The second major test was the gener- was plagued with irregularities. As in
ing its leader Joshua Nkomo to capitu- He was considered a key architect of the al election in July 2018. Seen as being previous elections, Zanu PF leaned on
He was the head of the Zanu PF sys- late and join a unity government under closed political space in Zimbabwe, an central to restoring democracy after the the army — whose mere presence, espe-
tem, and as such, his exit was seen by Zanu PF.  In the 1990s, Mugabe had idea that went back decades. To many, coup, there was little doubt that the cially in rural areas, intimidated voters.
many as providing an opportunity for violently suppressed all signs of internal it was therefore unreasonable to expect post-coup elections would need to pass It also manipulated the government’s
change. and external opposition, sending gun- any meaningful change in political the free, fair and peaceful test. agricultural subsidy scheme to “buy”
men to shoot and kill opponents in the tolerance after the coup. Yet, aware of the rural vote. As in previous years,
For that reason, rallied by the army Zimbabwe Unity Movement. In 2000, his own dubious credentials and also Previous elections in Zimbabwe had Zanu PF and Mnangagwa monopo-
generals who were seeking but his ego dented by the loss of the consti- to curry favour with his western back- been bloody, with outcomes con- lised the state media in their electoral
tutional referendum, and fearing that he ers and funders, especially the United campaign, denying equal and fair play
struggling to “constitutionally” re- would lose the parliamentary election Kingdom, Mnangagwa promised to tested. In 2008, because of the vio- to the opposition. With the Mugabe era
move Mugabe, thousands of Zimba- to the new Movement for Democratic open the country up not just for busi- lence, the continental and global com- draconian laws on access to informa-
bweans came out to the streets to send Change (MDC), ness but also politically. In a public munity had refused to sign off the pres- tion and protection of privacy, and on
a message to Mugabe “to leave and leave relations stunt, he publicly visited the idential elections, forcing Mugabe into public order and security, still frmly in-
now”. Thus, they “sanitised” the coup. Mugabe had deployed party youths ill MDC leader Tsvangirai and offered a coalition government with Morgan tact, the pre-election environment and
and war veterans to violently attack government support for his medical Tsvangirai. In the 2013 election, al- playing feld was far from being level.
After his removal, the generals sum- white farmers and farm workers per- treatment as well as the transfer of his though it had been peaceful, the manip- The operational conduct of the election,
moned Mugabe’s former deputy, ceived to be supporters of the new op- offcial state-purchased residence, which ulation of the roll of voters, which was including the tabulation, transmission
position party. In 2008, with clear signs Mugabe had refused to hand over. He withheld by the electoral commission and announcement of elections results,
Emmerson Mnangagwa, back from of having lost the presidential election to even tolerated criticism in the media until election day, again undermined pointed to a rigged process. With the
exile to take over. Mnangagwa had dra- Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round, he and from civil society on historically ta- the legitimacy of Mugabe’s victory. In closeness of the results between Mnan-
matically fed the country weeks earlier resorted first to rigging, then violence, boo subjects, such as Gukurahundi. To 2018, Mnangagwa was therefore aware gagwa and his opposition challenger,
after being fred by Mugabe, claiming to win the run-off from which Tsvangi- cap it all, he even “joined” social media. that if anything was needed to gain in- Nelson Chamisa — with Mnangagwa
that he feared for his life after an alleged rai ended up withdrawing. ternal and external legitimacy as part of receiving just over the 50% required —
poisoning attempt. The period between the coup and his open for business mantra, delivering no wonder the outcome was disputed
When Mnangagwa took over in elections in July 2018 saw a marked free, fair and peaceful elections was the and challenged in court. The Constitu-
After taking control of the ruling par- tional Court ruled in favour of Mnan-
ty and reversing all of Mugabe’s gagwa but failed to give its reasons for
almost 18 months, further entrenching
decisions and dismissals that had af- partisan perspectives.
fected Mnagangwa’s faction, the gener- Leopards cannot change their spots
als took their plan to Parliament, forc- Mnangagwa’s third test involved human
ing Mugabe to buckle and resign. rights. As he had played a central role
as Mugabe’s right hand, in the gradual
Mnangagwa was inaugurated as Pres- and systematic erosion of citizens’ rights
ident on 27 November 2017 with for the preceding 40 years, many were
sceptical that he and Zanu PF would
promises to bring in political and miraculously begin to respect human
economic reforms. At his inauguration, rights. The sceptics were right. Short-
attended by foreign diplomats and op- ly after the July election, in response
position leaders, Mnangagwa promised to public protest against delays in an-
to undo the disastrous results of Mug- nouncing election results, Mnangagwa
abe’s 37-year rule. He promised to fix deployed the military — who shot and
the ruined economy and open the long killed six unarmed civilians and injured
isolated and ostracised country for busi- scores more. These killings, conducted
ness and investment. He promised to in full view of election observers and in-
restore and respect democracy, to repeal ternational media, cemented the scepti-
draconian laws, to restore the rule of cism about any post-Mugabe change by
law, to fght corruption, to revisit com- Mnangagwa and Zanu PF. As damage
pensation to white farmers for land, to control, Mnangagwa commissioned an
re-engage the international community international commission of enquiry
and most importantly to respect the led by former South African President
will and voice of the people, which, he Kgalema Motlanthe, but it was made
argued was the voice of God. To that up of regime-sympathising local com-
end, he promised to provide the people missioners whose work was carefully
with the ultimate opportunity to decide choreographed. In a further clear sign
on the future political leadership of the that little had changed, despite recom-
country via free, fair and peaceful elec- mendations by the Motlanthe commis-
tions. Individually and taken together, sion to hold military offcers to account
what Mnangagwa promised was exactly responsible for the killings, Mnangagwa
what the country needed, and what it instead promoted the commander of
had been denied by Mugabe and Zanu the unit responsible, while other perpe-
PF for decades. Two years after Mugabe trators remained untouched.
was deposed, with Zimbabweans worse
off than they were during the worst of There would be further failures. In
Mugabe’s equally disastrous rule, it is January 2019, when citizens who
clear that Mnangagwa’s is a tale of bro-
ken promises. So what went wrong? were angered by the sudden increase
False expectations, false change in the price of fuel took to the streets,
To start with, post-Mugabe Zimbabwe Mnangagwa again deployed the army
was a proverbial house built on sand. against them. What followed was a mil-
itary operation conducted under cover
Driven by Mugabe’s henchmen, of an internet shutdown in which grave
who had been the architects and im- violations, beatings, torture, rapes and
plementers of his disastrous policies in plunder were carried out against inno-
the previous four decades, it was not re-
ally the change that Zimbabweans and
the world thought it would be. It was
triggered by and aimed to settle an in-
ternal Zanu PF factional fight between
the Generation 40 (G40) faction, led
by Grace Mugabe, and Lacoste, led by
Emmerson Mnangagwa, inside Zanu
PF. It was and had never been a people’s
project and certainly never ideologically
founded or spurred on by a genuine de-
sire for real political and social change.
To that extent, little should have been
expected from the coup. This alone
easily explains why it delivered nothing
in resolving Zimbabwe’s long-term cri-
ses and instead dug the country into a
deeper hole. The so-called new dispen-

Page 34 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

cent civilians. Mnangagwa would later poor leadership have been at the centre sources to their personal upkeep and President Emmerson Mnangagwa. cards for him or Zanu PF to play, when
boast that he had deployed the army to of Zimbabwe’s political, economic and beneft rather than addressing the mul- proclaiming the return of a robust na- it comes to fudging the economy and
deal with protesters after giving instruc- social problems for the past 40 years. tiple crises the country faces. tional currency. In November 2019, the politics, and also that relying on coer-
tions to use a “special whip laced in salty A failed economy government introduced new bank notes cion will soon stop working. The hard-
water”. After the protests, thousands of Under Mugabe, a politically con- Mnangagwa’s greatest test was the extent but the release was marred by another line ruling party in Ethiopia, EPRDF,
civilians were arrested and tried in unfair nected and predatory elite, comprising to which he would be able to fix Zimba- corruption scandal in which hundreds came to a similar conclusion after many
and fast-tracked trials, while hundreds ruling Zanu PF offcials, their families bwe’s ruined economy. His inability to of thousands of dollars surfaced on the years of relying on repression: it real-
were sentenced to many years in prison. and friends, prioritised the personal do so has been his most epic failure. black market when the maximum per- ised that there was a real chance of los-
accumulation of wealth over public in- mitted withdrawal is $200. ing everything. If Mnangagwa and his
Again, in August 2019, with the terest and service. This elite has been in- In the main, wages have lost all val- The final test comrades reach this epiphany, they may
country and citizens facing dire social volved in high-level corruption scandals ue and purchasing power owing to the Mnangagwa’s last test will be whether yet survive and play a part in creating
and economic conditions, the opposi- since 1980. It has siphoned off billions disastrous economic policies of Mthuli and how long he can hold on to power a different future. At almost 80  years
tion MDC called for nationwide mass of dollars, abused public resources and Ncube, Mnangagwa’s minister of Fi- in the context of the continuously de- old, having served for almost 60  years
protests. Complying with the public enjoyed impunity from any form of ac- nance. Ncube was initially feted as a teriorating conditions in the country. in government and having orchestrated
order and security law, it sought police countability. Almost all Mugabe’s min- professor from Oxford and a former There is an overwhelming consensus and watched Mugabe being humiliat-
authorisation for the protests, which isters have at one time or another been African Development Bank chief econ- that the situation seems to have reached ed, it can be assumed that Mnangagwa
was denied. On the day, riot police implicated in corruption. omist, but he was also previously found- breaking point. Whatever the plan for would want a different fate. This would
unleashed an orgy of violence against er and owner of a failed Zimbabwean removing Mugabe may have been for ideally involve an inclusive negotiated
peaceful protesters, beating and arrest- Mnangagwa’s commitment to ad- bank, Barbican, who has banned the use the coup comrades, it is hard to imagine process to address the country’s politi-
ing many. dressing corruption, bad governance of foreign currency exchange, reintro- that this is what was agreed or expected. cal, economic and social problems, pref-
and poor leadership was therefore in duced the discredited Zimbabwe dollar, It is possible that the plotters collective- erably moderated by an external actor.
Throughout Mnangagwa’s rule, the the spotlight. His choice of ministers, introduced an extortionate transaction- ly underestimated what was required Recently, South Africa has hinted that it
government has continued to selectively his attitude towards corrupt elites and al tax on electronic transactions and to fix Zimbabwe. They assumed that is losing patience with the crisis, which
target critics, labour, human rights and his appointment of capable leadership allowed activities at the Reserve Bank they could continue to fudge their way may signal its willingness to mediate. If
political activists for intimidation, ha- were objects of scrutiny. In all these as- that have been condemned by the In- forward by crushing dissent, stealing Mnangagwa and Zanu PF have no an-
rassment, abduction, arrests, detention, pects, he failed dismally. He appointed ternational Monetary Fund. In the past elections, printing money, recklessly swers, neither it seems does the MDC,
torture and killings. In many instances, and retained corrupt cabinet ministers six months of 2020, in the latest budget spending state funds and plundering which has shown hesitation and ambi-
it has relied on pseudo-elements in the — some of whom, in yet another pub- announcement the Finance minister has the economy without consequence. guity in its intentions. While the dete-
security sector or party youth wings to lic relations stunt, he has now sought been accused of embarrassingly cooking If that is the case, they were wrong. In riorating economic conditions provide
carry out these heinous crimes. Fearing to arrest. He set up an anti-corruption the national accounting books by un- removing Mugabe, they promised and the typical context for popular uprisings
an uprising similar to those in Sudan, unit in his offce, which has delivered derstating the contributions of China offered people change. of the kind seen in which ruling parties
Egypt and Algeria, the government nothing. He has allowed powerful by over US$100 million. were ousted in Egypt, Tunisia and more
has resorted to selective abductions of elites connected to him, such as Ku- They managed to temporarily per- recently Bolivia, Algeria and Sudan, this
critics who lead or call for citizen ac- dakwashe Tagwirei’s Sakunda, to retain The disastrous economic policies suade and gain the support of erstwhile is unlikely to happen on its own. Be-
tion, in order to spread fear and deter monopolistic control of the country’s and the accompanying corruption have detractors, such as the United King- sides, it is hardly a viable strategy. The
citizens from protesting. Most recently, lucrative fuel supply contracts. He has seen doctors and nurses go on strike dom, and the sceptical support of many MDC will have to be more deliberate
the leader of the striking hospital doc- allowed the use of the Reserve Bank for for months because of poor wages Zimbabweans. In two short years, they and intentional. Doing nothing is as
tors’ union, Peter Magombeyi, was ab- preferential access to foreign currency and working conditions: no hospitals have squandered it all: the hope, the bad as Mnangagwa waiting and hoping
ducted, detained for fve days, tortured exchange for connected elites, which it have adequate equipment, medicines goodwill, the promise, the trust. They nothing will come of the decline. If a ne-
and then dumped in the outskirts of expatriates, launders or sells on the black or medical supplies. The government have also lost the trust of their own sup- gotiated solution is preferred, the MDC
Harare. The government claimed that market at a premium in a system of ar- response has been to abduct leaders of porters and each other. They have run will have to push for one. If a popular
a shadowy “third force” was involved. bitrage. He has allowed the plunder of doctors’ or teachers' unions and to fire out of excuses. uprising is desired, it will have to lead
Other critics calling for accountability US$3 billion from the “command agri- all doctors. and direct it. A spontaneous, leaderless,
for Gukurahundi atrocities, includ- culture” subsidy scheme, most of which The sanctions excuse, used effective- uprising by frustrated and angry citizens
ing activists such as Zenzele Ndebele, has found its way to Sakunda. Living conditions have deteriorat- ly by Mugabe, has lost its shine: it no is also likely. This was the case in Egypt
Thandekile Moyo and Mkhululi Ha- ed for the majority of citizens to levels longer cuts it as Zimbabweans realise and to a great extent Algeria and Sudan.
nana, have also been intimidated, fol- As the country faces a severe public worse than during the Mugabe era, with that ruling elites continue to plunder This option is what both Mnangagwa
lowed and threatened by unidentifed service crisis in the water, energy, health power blackouts for days and shortages and live large while they suffer. But can and the MDC should be worried about,
individuals. In an unprecedented surge and education sectors, Mnangagwa has of fuel, banknotes, medicines and other Mnangagwa still salvage the situation or as it places both outside the game.
of intolerance, the government has also presided over declining and deepening basic needs. Inflation has shot up in the will it roll on towards a cliff edge? The Revolving coup door?
resorted to abducting, beating and tor- social conditions. Poor governance and third quarter of 2020. In June 2020, the former looks unlikely, in the light of In the meantime, it is an open secret
turing human rights activists, such as leadership tied to corruption have seen government banned the use of foreign honest refection on the past two years, a that there are disagreements at the high-
Tendai Mombeyarara of the Citizens his ministers preoccupied with lining currency, deepening the hardship but realisation that there are simply no more est levels inside government and Zanu
Manifesto and Amalgamated Rural their pockets and diverting public re- PF. It is conceivable that the prevailing
Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe, which situation is not the one envisaged by
is led by Obert Masaraure. Samantha those soldiers drafted into the coup who
Kureya, “Gonyeti”, a comedian, and are now worse off than during the Mug-
Ian Makiwa, “Platinum Prince”, a mu- abe era. There are reports that junior off-
sician, have also been abducted, beaten cers are suffering squalid and dehuman-
and tortured for satirical and musical ising living and working conditions. If
productions that were deemed infam- the state of ordinary Zimbabweans is a
matory and offensive to Mnangagwa measure, this is unsurprising. There is
and the regime. Some have not been talk of another coup. Experience from
so lucky. Blessing Toronga, an MDC elsewhere shows that once it has been
political activist, was abducted from opened, the door leading to military
his house in Glen Norah Township in overthrow of a government is hard to
Harare by unidentified men after the close.
protests on 24 January 2019. His body
was found in an advanced state of de- To that extent, whether it is another
composition in March this year. coup or increased citizens’ agitation, not
just for change but for survival, Zimba-
As Mugabe did in the 1980s, Mnan- bwe seems headed for a major confron-
gagwa has relied on trumped-up treason tation. Rather than wait for it to happen
charges against perceived critics and op- and try to pick up the scattered pieces
ponents. afterwards, the Southern African Devel-
opment Community, led by South Afri-
Victims include Tsvangirai, Welsh- ca (which has much to lose), the African
man Ncube and others in 2000, those Union and international bodies need
involved in the "MDC 17 petrol bomb to refocus their spotlight on Zimbabwe
case" in 2015 and MDC deputy presi- once again.
dent Tendai Biti in 2008. In 2019 alone,
the government has charged seven civil But this time, they must ensure that
society activists with treason, contin- the political change will genuinely refect
ued to prosecute pastor Ivan Mawarire, the will of the people and not the small
for Mugabe-era treason charges, and and predatory elite that now fights over
charged several MDC politicians, in- the country’s decaying carcass.
cluding Job Sikhala, Joana Mamombe
and Gift Ostallos Siziba, with treason. This is an extract by Siphosami
Undoubtedly, on this score Mnangagwa Malunga from the book titled The
has not only proved sceptics right, but History and Political Transition of
has matched Mugabe in many respects. Zimbabwe From Mugabe to Mnan-
Corrupt and predatory elite gagwa edited by Professor Sabelo J,
The third major test for Mnangagwa Ndlovu-Gatsheni and Dr Pedzisai
and Zanu PF was their policy and atti- Ruhanya.
tude to corruption, bad governance and
poor leadership. When he took over *About the writer: Siphosami
from Mugabe, Mnangagwa promised Malunga is an international human
to open the country, isolated for many rights lawyer and executive director of
years, for business. He promised to fight the Open Society Initiative for South-
corruption and to ensure the rule of law. ern Africa (Osisa).

Corruption, bad governance and

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 35

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

FW de Klerk: The last apartheid president
was driven by pragmatism, not idealism

CHRISTI VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Former South African president Frederik Willem de Klerk. the enfranchisement of the black ma-
jority. But intense political violence
FEW recent historical figures in hannesburg, he came from a lineage ed the international assignation of of his securocratic predecessor Pieter halted the negotiations, increasingly
South Africa provoke more divergent of leaders of the National Party. The apartheid as a crime against human- Willem (PW) Botha, who had creat- putting the possibilities for a political
views than Frederik Willem (FW) de party came to power  in 1948  bran- ity  in 1973. The Truth and Recon- ed the repressive  National Security settlement at risk.
Klerk. He was president of the coun- dishing its policy of apartheid. De ciliation Commission had been cre- Management System.
try from 1989 to 1994. Klerk’s uncle,  JG Strijdom, was the ated to examine human rights abuses The creation of an  alliance  be-
second apartheid prime minister. His during the apartheid era. However, he was a member of the tween white and black reactionaries in
Some will remember him as the father, Jan de Klerk, served as a cab- State Security Council, the struc- the Afrikaner-Volksfront, the Inkatha
last white South African president inet minister under three apartheid He insisted before the Commis- ture at the pinnacle of the National Freedom Party  and the then nomi-
who played a primary role in ending prime ministers. sion that crimes against humanity Security Management System. As a nally independent  Bophuthatswana
the brutal system of apartheid and have to do with the “wilful extermi- result, the Commission  found that bantustan  brought renewed urgency
preventing further bloodshed. But, De Klerk was associated with the nation of hundreds of thousands - [His] statement that none of his col- to finding common ground.
many will remember him simply as conservative wing of the National sometimes millions - of people” and leagues in Cabinet, the State Securi-
the last white minority leader to pre- Party. He was active in Afrikaner na- that white people, in contrast, had ty Council or Cabinet Committees This quest was facilitated by  sce-
side over apartheid and the violence tionalist organisations from a young increasingly shared state resources had authorised assassination, murder nario planning exercises that brought
that upheld it. age, before joining the apartheid par- with black people in latter years of or other gross violations of human opponents together in social envi-
liament in the early 1970s. apartheid. rights was indefensible. ronments, contemplating South Af-
In recognition of his role in the rica’s possible futures. These built on
demise of the formal apartheid, De De Klerk’s political career con- De Klerk’s position had not During his presidency, political a series of earlier meetings, as also
Klerk was awarded the Nobel Peace firms his commitment to apartheid. changed in 20 years, as evident in his violence escalated to  unseen levels. initiated by the Botha regime with
Prize in 1993. He received it along- After ascending to a National Party 2020  public statement  when he re- De Klerk undertook various actions Mandela as a political prisoner  as
side  Nelson Mandela, who became ministerial position in the late 1970s, peated this stance. But after an inter- to neutralise the securocrats, suggest- early as in 1984.
South Africa’s first democratic era he passed through portfolios instru- vention by the Desmond and Leah ing that a divide had by then opened
president a year later. Historians have mental in the domination of black Tutu Foundation, he  backtracked  a up in the National Party government The unexpected personal dynamics
pointed to the white minority’s  un- people. few days later and acknowledged between those determined to sustain of foes coming face to face collapsed
usual capitulation of power, especial- the  Rome Statute of the Interna- apartheid and those believing it could the stereotype of the “black Commu-
ly when gauged against other settler As minister of education between tional Criminal Court’s definition of no longer continue unchanged. nist terrorist” for the National Party
societies. De Klerk arguably had an 1984 and 1989, he was the political apartheid as a crime against human- negotiators. These interactions paved
important hand in that. principal responsible for the con- ity. But, the De Klerk grouping in the way for the party and the ANC as
tinuing implementation of “Bantu the party certainly did not aim to the primary parties to build mutual
But Mandela’s  disparagement  of education”. This system was most Nevertheless, his concession establish the current constitutional understanding and eventually trust,
De Klerk a few years prior as the devastating, enforcing the racial hier- was ambiguous: this is not the time democracy based on human dignity, especially between their respective
“head of an illegitimate, discredited archy through the limitation of black to quibble about the degrees of unac- equality and freedom. At the start of lead negotiators,  Cyril Ramapho-
minority regime…incapable of up- people’s life opportunities from an ceptability of apartheid. the multiparty negotiations the party sa and Roelf Meyer.
holding moral standards” captures early age. De Klerk and the security forces was confident that it could contin-
not only the animosity between the De Klerk’s denial of apartheid state ue with mere apartheid reformism Unstoppable momentum
two leaders, but the feelings of many De Klerk clung to the view that violence partly sprang from his insis- called “power sharing”, as had been De Klerk and his negotiators were
if not most South Africans. apartheid was intended to address the tence that he was personally unaware started by Botha in the 1980s. swept along by  the momentum of
complexity of South African diversi- of the abuses by its security forces. events. They came to realise that a
That De Klerk never saw himself ty. In his statement before the Truth He was not part of the inner circle Power sharing involved building democracy in which a constitution
and the National Party regime in that and Reconciliation Commission a “white veto” into parliamentary with a bill of human rights is su-
light, is paradoxically what enabled (TRC) in the late 1990s he protest- representation, as a counterweight to preme, with equality before the law
him to lead the party’s relinquishing irrespective of “race”, would be as
of state power. best a protection for their constitu-
ency as they could hope for.
Not that he had set out to do that.
The end of the Cold War with the Regarding economic transfor-
dismantling of the Berlin Wall in mation, the National Party and the
1989 meant the loss of Soviet Union white capital interests they represent-
support for the anti-apartheid organ- ed failed to block a constitutional
isations. It also ended the West’s need clause expressly providing for expro-
of the apartheid regime as proxy in priation of property in the public in-
Africa. terest. But, the clause included a rid-
Sanctions, the costs of military er that such expropriation should be
action in the southern African and subject to compensation. The clause
an  unabated popular insurrec- also stipulates that “an equitable bal-
tion  pushed South Africa into an ance” should be struck between the
economic crisis. interests of the public and the owner.
Meanwhile, apartheid lost its he-
gemonic hold on  Afrikaner intel- As a National Party loyalist De
ligentsia, business, media and the Klerk continued on Botha’s path
churches as doubts grew about its of apartheid reformism, including
morality and continued practicabil- through talks. But, unlike the strong-
ity. man Botha, he was no securocrat. He
Committed apartheid ideologue came to believe that power sharing
De Klerk will be most remem- could  not  ultimately be imposed
bered for his famous speech delivered through state violence.
on 2 February 1990 in which he an-
nounced the unbanning the African Where Botha had faltered, De
National Congress (ANC) and other Klerk was able to take alternative
liberation movements. steps. As a conservative National Par-
But it should not be read as a ty leader, he could bring most of the
Damascene conversion to the princi- party and its constituency with him.
ple of black majority rule. It was not a change of heart that
Rather the announcement was drove De Klerk. He had entered into
made by De Klerk the pragmatist. He a perfect postcolonial storm, from
was taking a strategic risk to regain where there was no return.
the initiative, in a situation where the
options beyond intensified military — The Conversation.
repression were rapidly shrinking.
De Klerk seems an unlikely candi- *About the writer: Christi van
date to have led this process. der Westhuizen is associate profes-
Born on  18 March 1936  in Jo- sor at the Centre for the Advance-
ment of Non-Racialism and Democ-
racy (CANRAD) at Nelson Mandela
University in South Africa.

Page 36 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Address by President Ramaphosa
at Intra-African Trade Fair 2021
YOUR Excellency Felix Tshisekedi, Presi- en, and they are the dominant actors in
dent of the Democratic Republic of Con- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. the informal sectors of Africa’s economic
go and Chair of the African Union, landscape.
Throughout history, Africa has had a It is our expectation that this Intra-Af- maceutical and medicinal needs from
Your Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, network of trade routes that facilitated rican Trade Fair will further cement its outside the continent at an annual cost of Despite this, women only generate
Chair of the Intra-African Trade Fair Ad- the flow of goods such as beads, carvings, position as Africa’s premier trade plat- $16 billion. around a third of the continent’s com-
visory Council and Former President of ivory, gold, gum, metal works, salt, tex- form, where African manufacturers can bined GDP.
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, tiles and metals. promote and sell more ‘Made in Africa’ Secondly, the African Continental Free
goods to one another. Trade Area has the potential to accelerate It is important that the Intra-African
Your Excellency Moussa Faki Maha- These trade routes enabled African economic growth across the continent Trade Fair gives special attention to Afri-
mat, Chairperson of the African Union traders to seek out markets beyond the This is critical if we are to change the and create opportunities for entrepre- can women in business, recognising their
Commission and co-convener of the In- continent. distorted trade relationship that exists be- neurs, small and medium enterprises as great potential as drivers of economic
tra-African Trade Fair, tween African countries and the rest of well as large corporations to flourish. change across the continent.
Colonialism deeply damaged the in- the world.
Your Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, digenous development of African trade The AfCFTA will provide new export Trade is built on a bedrock of invest-
President of the Federal Republic of Ni- and caused great harm to our societies. We can no longer have a situation opportunities for ‘Made in Africa’ prod- ment.
geria, where Africa exports raw materials and ucts and enable member countries to
At first, Europeans traded in African imports finished goods made with those trade with each other without tariffs or We must therefore find ways of at-
Your Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, lives, carrying millions of slaves across the materials. other hindrances. tracting more investment into our econ-
President of the Republic of Zambia, Atlantic to produce the wealth of their omies, and, crucially, we must encourage
new-found colonies. We can longer have a situation where All of this will help the continent to African businesses to invest in each other’s
Your Excellency Emmerson Mnangag- the resources of Africa provide employ- absorb the 10 to 12 million African youth countries.
wa, President of the Republic of Zimba- Then, with the realisation of Africa’s ment and add value in other economies, looking to enter the job market annually.
bwe, vast raw materials, colonial powers turned while so many of our people live in pover- This requires that we improve the ease
to the extraction of Africa’s minerals and ty and conditions of under-development. The AfCFTA should therefore be un- of doing business in our countries and
Your Excellency Lazarus Chakwera, agricultural products. derpinned by strong and ambitious rules provide protection for investors through
President of the Republic of Malawi, By promoting trade between African of origin, requiring a very high level of strong and independent legal systems that
Much of the economic storyline of co- countries we are strengthening the con- value-add here on our continent. will ensure the sanctity of contract and
Your Excellency Édouard Ngirente, lonialism persists to this day. tinent’s industrial base and ensuring that fair and expeditious legal processes.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwan- we produce goods for ourselves and each We need, as Africans, to resist the
da, Now Africa is taking concrete steps to other. temptation to simply become tranship- It means also that investors must be
write its own economic success story. ment centres, adding only limited indus- sensitive to our continent’s development
Your Excellency Hussein Mwinyi, Two key developments of global sig- trial value in Africa. goals: jobs, industrialisation and develop-
President of Zanzibar, It is opening up new fields of oppor- nificance can serve as a stimulus for Africa ment of local entrepreneurs.
tunity. One such opportunity is in Afri- to act in unison. The AfCFTA will unlock more value
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Sihle ca's rapid adoption of locally developed and give effect to the dream of African de- The conditions of Africa’s workers
Zikalala, fintech, of which M-PESA is the most Firstly, the outbreak of the COVID-19 velopment if it promotes complementary must improve as part of our development
well-known. pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 ex- trade between countries. goals and the decent work agenda that
Minister of Trade, Industry and Com- posed the frailty of African economies. all of us have committed to must find
petition, Mr Ebrahim Patel, It is an example of financial and tech- It is about using the combination of expression in our trade, investment and
nological innovation in which Africa More importantly, it sent a powerful the continent’s raw materials and indus- industrial frameworks.
President of the Board of Directors of leads the world. message to our continent about the dan- trial capacity, finance, services and in-
Afreximbank and co-convener of the In- gers of over-reliance on external sources frastructure to produce quality finished On the 24th of May 1963, indepen-
tra-African Trade Fair, Professor Benedict A recent report from the Brookings to meet its growing demand for food, goods to local and global markets. dent Ghana’s first President Kwame Nk-
Oramah, Institution notes that Africa “is already medicines and other essential supplies. rumah delivered his famous ‘We must
the largest adopter of mobile money It is about creating a market large unite now or perish’ speech in Addis
Members of the African Continental transfer systems, comprising nearly half It clearly demonstrated that Africa enough to attract investors from across Ababa.
Free Trade Area Secretariat, of the globe’s registered mobile money needs to produce its own food and med- the world to set up their production facil-
customers, approximately 70 percent of icines, to strengthen continental supply ities on the continent. We need to lever- His words are as true today as they
Ministers and Deputy Ministers, global mobile money transactions, and chains, and to invest in infrastructure and age platforms such as the Intra-African were when the Organisation of African
MECs, two-thirds of the transaction volume by capacitate African institutions. Trade Fair to mobilise all African govern- Unity was formed.
Distinguished Guests, value". ments, together with our social partners,
Ladies and Gentlemen, To illustrate the extent of the chal- to work tirelessly to address youth unem- President Nkrumah said: “With our
I am extremely proud to be addressing It is by harnessing all our capabilities, lenge, the United Nations Economic ployment. united resources, energies and talents,
the Intra-African Trade Fair. both existing and emerging, that we will Commission for Africa estimates that Af- we have the means, as soon as we have
On the first of January 2021 the Af- accelerate Africa’s economic growth and rica imports about 94 per cent of its phar- Half of Africa’s population are wom- shown the will, to transform the econom-
rican Continental Free Trade Area com- integrated development. ic structures of our individual states from
menced trading, making this Trade Fair poverty to that of wealth, from inequality
the first to take place since we reached the to the satisfaction of popular needs. Only
most significant milestone in our quest on a continental basis shall we be able to
for African economic integration. plan the proper utilisation of all our re-
In 2018 the first Intra-African Trade sources for the full development of our
Fair opened in Egypt, in the ancient city continent.”
of Cairo.
Today, it is opening in the southern- Now is the hour of action.
most tip of Africa. As countries let us work with speed to
In due course, we hope the IATF will resolve any outstanding issues around the
be held in all parts of the continent. AfCFTA; let those countries who have
This fair belongs to us all. not already ratified it do so; and let us
The goods, products and services ex- take the necessary steps towards domes-
hibited at the fair represent all the coun- tication.
tries of Africa, and its success rests on the We are greatly encouraged by the sen-
participation of all of us. timent expressed by the African Devel-
The AfCFTA aspires to connect all the opment Bank a few weeks ago that the
regions of Africa, to deepen economic in- implementation of the AfCFTA will be
tegration and to boost intra-African trade a key component of the bank’s lending
and investment. programme and that working with the
It aspires to create a single market for AfCFTA Secretariat the bank hopes to
goods and services across 55 countries amass a number of AfCFTA aligned in-
and our continent, creating a market of vestments.
as much as 1.3 billion people with a com- South Africa stands ready to work
bined GDP of $3.4 trillion. closely with all African countries to forge
This year’s Intra-African Trade Fair is more balanced, equitable and fair trade
about building bridges. relations among African nations.
It brings together governments, buy- On the 24th of March 2022 South
ers, investors, entrepreneurs and manu- Africa will host its fourth South Africa
facturers from more than 55 countries to Investment Conference in Johannesburg,
give life to the African Continental Free and we look forward to seeing some of
Trade Area. the engagements that start here at the
The countries of Africa are open for IATF come to fruition at that conference.
business. Since ancient times, trade has With these words I welcome you all
been the engine that connected commu- to South Africa and encourage you to
nities both near and far. enjoy the warm hospitality of the City of
From the ancient centres of learning Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal Prov-
like Alexandria and Timbuktu, to the ince.
northern civilisations in Egypt and Car- I wish you all productive days ahead as
thage, the western Kingdoms of Ghana, we work to transform our continent and
Mali, and Songhai, the trans-Saharan forge a better future for its people.
trade routes, the eastern trading centres of I thank you.
Zanzibar, Mombasa and Mogadishu, to Issued by the presidency of the Re-
the ancient southern civilisations of Great public of South Africa
Zimbabwe and Mapungubwe, for many
centuries Africans traded the goods that
they produced.

NewsHawks Critical Thinking Page 37

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Sabelo J. Africa: Unthinking the historically
Ndlovu-Gatsheni accepted thinking of the continent

THIS review essay is focused on four merous ‘others’ that has been the norm, and many others.  Jean-Loup Amselle. together are re-emerging within an
publications which address diverse, but and work to bring other categories of While Paul Gilroy is correct in stat- generate animated debates and rein- increasingly entangled and globalised
related issues involving Africa in the self-definition, of dreaming, of acting, terpretation from various disciplinary world. The question of which knowl-
present conjuncture. of loving, of living into the commons ing that these battles over ideas and vantage points.  edges are critical to anchor human life
as a matter of universal concern” (Hop- concepts are not new (Gilroy2005:9), has returned with force as those descen-
The first is a voluminous book by pers and Richards2012:8).  nevertheless, they have taken on new While it is true that these battles dants of enslaved, racialised, and col-
Michael Neocosmos titled Thinking significance within the twenty-first over ideas and concepts were evident in onised people declare vociferously and
Freedom in Africa: Toward a Theory of Therefore, the epistemic insurrection century context of insurgent and resur- philosophy, historiography, geography, vehemently that they were born into
Emancipatory Politics, which focuses is about the existential as well as ways gent decolonisation (Ndlovu-Gatsheni and anthropology even prior to the valid and legitimate knowledge sys-
on complex issues critiquing national of knowing. The knowledge which has Reference Ndlovu-Gatsheni2018; Nd- twentieth century with the question of tems which must be recognised (Ndl-
conceptions of liberation and the lim- driven the world for the past five hun- lovu-Gatsheni & Ndlovu Reference humanity at the centre, they acquired a ovu-Gatsheni Reference Ndlovu-Gat-
itations of the predication of emancipa- dred years is manifesting a deep exhaus- Ndlovu-Gatsheni and Ndlovu2021).  new sharpness in the twentieth century, sheni2018, Ndlovu-Gatsheni2020).
tion on identity; it is dedicated to the tion and has reached its limits.  where they became linked to struggles Knowing/unknowing Africa
agenda of re-articulating freedom from For example, Neocosmos is very crit- for liberation from colonialism, self-de- Modern knowledge is accessed and
a universalist vantage point.  Consequently, basic epistemological ical of empiricism, with its concomitant termination, justice, and equality.  digested through modern disciplines.
questions have been reopened. These artery called “tyranny of the objective” Within modern disciplines, Africa ex-
The second is an edited volume titled basic questions include the relation- (16), as it is not considered suitable for Today, the battles over ideas and ists as a contested epistemic creation
Debating African Philosophy: Perspectives ships between epistemology and ontol- the rethinking and unthinking which concepts are animated by the insurgent and as a phenomenon which needs to
on Identity, Decolonial Ethics and Com- ogy, identity and knowledge, biopol- enables a necessary epistemic rupture. and resurgent decolonisation of the be liberated from the cognitive empire
parative Philosophy, which addresses itics and knowledge, geopolitics and twenty-first century. Such formations and its “colonial library” (Mudim-
the recovery of African philosophical knowledge, objectivity versus subjectiv- It is within this context that one and movements as Black Lives Matter be1988). There seems to be a consensus
thought.  ity, engaged scholarship and neutrality, finds Africa as an idea, invention, re- and Rhodes Must Fall are its planetary that Africa is not and has never been a
truth and universality of knowledge, ality, space, home, and continent sub- signatures. The planetary questions of primordial fixture. 
It underscores the primacy of an jected to a barrage of critiques which emancipation and the ethics of living
African theorisation of contemporary However, Wole Soyinka posited that,
issues such as epistemology, philosoph- unlike other continents which have fig-
ical language, moral/political philoso- ures who claim to have “discovered”
phy, philosophy of race, environmental them, there is no one who ever claimed
ethics, and the metaphysics of disabil- to have “discovered” Africa (Soyinka
ity, as well as how to embrace decolo- 2012). Of course, there are claims to
nisation/decoloniality, in an attempt to the “discovery” of mouths of rivers, of
widen the canon of philosophy.  mountains, and of lakes within Africa,
but not of Africa itself. If we consider
The third volume is premised on the archaeological and paleontological
an intellectual conversation between scholarship which indicates that Africa
the philosopher Souleymane Bachir is indeed the “cradle of humankind,”
Diagne and anthropologist Jean-Loup then it is not surprising that it has been
Amselle and is titled In Search of Af- spared the paradigm of discovery. Does
rican(s). This book of conversations this, then, give Africa a primordial defi-
examines various aspects of Africa, nition? The books under review seem
ranging from the very idea of Africa to to challenge primordiality in favour of
identity, representation, language, hu- construction and invention regarding
man rights. and universalism.  the idea of Africa.

The fourth book is another edited In the works under review, disci-
volume, titled Africa Rising? Navigating plinary knowledge is a departure point.
the Nexus Between Rhetoric and Emerg- Since modern disciplines have emerged
ing Reality, which focuses on develop- within a context in which humanity
mentalism in the present conjuncture was grappling with specific modern
while also linking it to indigenous problems, they are presented as the key
knowledge systems, transitional justice, lens through which Africa is compre-
security, political economy, and the “Af- hended and its broader world interpret-
rica rising” discourse. ed.

The commonality that cuts across Taking this as a departure point is
these four publications is the painstak- ideal, because the four publications un-
ing and complex task of unthinking the der consideration here are written from
historically accepted thinking on Africa diverse disciplinary vantage points,
and the various intellectual projections ranging from sociology to philosophy,
into Africa’s futures. Knowledge about politics, international relations, law,
Africa is subjected to critiques from di- and anthropology. 
verse disciplinary vantage points. 
Disciplinary lenses, like all other de-
Previous and current ways of know- vices which assist humans in enhancing
ing are challenged without being dis- their view of the world, have their lim-
carded as a basis for another knowl- itations; hence, the recourse in knowl-
edge capable of propelling Africa into edge production to inter-, trans-, and
a better future. The broader discursive multi-disciplinarity as a solution. Lew-
terrain is that of the intellectual turmoil is R. Gordon (Gordon 2006) warned
and epistemic insurrection which de- about the problem termed “disciplinary
fine the present conjuncture in which decadence,” which takes the form of
“knowledge of knowledge” itself and reification, ossification, and ontolo-
“our knowledge of our knowledge of gising of disciplines to the extent that
things” are open for debate (Santos academics become colonised by them
Reference Santos2017:41).  and blinded to human problems that
are far wider than disciplinary knowl-
At the centre of this intellectual edge can allow for. Gordon elaborated
turmoil is what Immanuel Wallerstein on the manifestations of disciplinary
(Wallerstein2004:58) terms the “un- decadence:
certainty of knowledge.” Inevitably, the
republic of letters has become a site of Thus, a decadent scientist criticises
struggles, in which rethinking of think- the humanities for not being scientif-
ing itself has become a necessary chal- ic; a decadent literary scholar criticises
lenge. In terms of definition of rethink- scientists and social scientists for not
ing thinking, Cathrine Odora Hoppers being literary or textual; a decadent so-
and Howard Richards posited it this
way: “The task for rethinking thinking
is therefore precisely this: to recognise
the cultural asphyxiation of those nu-

Page 38 Critical Thinking NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

cial scientist sins in two directions — that structures such an analysis. It then tions of difference”. His fear is that a Souleymane Bachir Diagne. tory beyond historicism; and to rethink
by criticising either humanities for not becomes easy to fall into a position in paradigm of difference gives ammuni- not — rather, it is about Africans and politics beyond the state. The problem
being social scientific or social science which, for example, Africans are simply tion to fundamentalists and populists. the manner in which they have thought is in the implementation of such a po-
for not being scientific in accord with, victims of a history that has been made Diagne posits that universalism does and currently think freedom”.  litical project as a universal emancipa-
say, physics or biology. And, of course, exclusively by others, in the West. Afri- not yet exist; it is not in the past, but tory politics.
the decadent historian criticises all for cans, like other human beings, must be is somewhere ahead, as it has yet to be The question is, why involve Badiou
not being historical; the decadent phi- thought of as agents of their history, not created. He credits postcolonial and rather than directly demonstrating em- Neocosmos’ book is encyclopaedic,
losopher criticises all for not being phil- as its victims. decolonial critiques for challenging and pirically to the world through capturing covering such themes as the Haitian
osophical.  exposing the false and moribund uni- African thought that “ordinary people Revolution and its politics of freedom
One is left wondering, what is Afri- versalism that was created through co- are in fact capable of thought beyond and equality; a critique of historical
The key point here is how scholars ca to Neocosmos? To reach an under- lonialism. Diagne prefers “a universal of the habit of place — excessive thought thought and African national libera-
are colonised by their disciplines in standing, one has to try and follow his decentring,” predicated on “translation” — and show these capacities in often tion politics; the articulation of what is
a double sense: first, in terms of their thinking about ways of knowing Af- which enables relationality. unpredictable sites”? There is nothing termed “people’s power” as a mode of
worldview and world-sensing, and sec- rica. Neocosmos is very critical about novel about the idea that ordinary peo- politics; social movements and social
ond, in terms of how they view and re- current ways of knowing of Africa. The weakness of the idea of univer- ple think, as long as we disconnect from representation; Marxism and the agrar-
view each other’s work. But the reality Unknowing some ways through which salism is that it sounds abstract and Eurocentric thought. The challenge, as ian question; the state and civil society;
in knowledge generation and produc- Africa has been previously known is ur- detached from the African reality. For posed by Gayatri Spivak (Spivak, Nel- and feminism and politics of solidarity. 
tion is complex. For example, one finds gent for Neocosmos. This new way of Neocosmos to deny that through such son and Grossberg1988), is how to cap-
a sociologist such as Neocosmos based knowing Africa is informed by a desire inimical processes as enslavement, co- ture their voices so as to avoid speaking There is consistent critique and
in Africa, predicating his award-win- to place Africa within the “universal.” lonialism, imperialism, racial capital- for them. This has been the agenda of theorising throughout the book. The
ning and voluminous work on the This is why Neocosmos posits that ism, and patriarchy “the majority of Subaltern Studies in Southeast Asia and overarching aim is to claim and reartic-
philosophical ideas of the French phi- “What is universal is precisely the step- the world’s population” is indeed “liv- has been the argument of anticolonial ulate emancipatory politics predicated
losopher Alain Badiou and others like ping out of place, a displacement which ing in subhuman conditions” is rather and decolonial struggles and scholar- on rethinking and unthinking knowl-
Frantz Fanon, who are difficult to clas- enables one to affirm one’s humanity strange. The point here is that his claim ship since the very beginning of colo- edge for freedom. What is intriguing
sify discipline-wise because they pro- independently of where one is situated of common humanity and the agency nial encounters. is Neocosmos’ spirited effort to move
duced knowledge from the battlefields by the Other, be it the state, culture or of Africans can be made without deny- the discourse of freedom from identi-
of history and its associated struggles the colonial oppressor”. He blames the ing how dehumanising and dismem- It would seem that Neocosmos invit- ty and state to the ordinary people and
rather than from academia. The central social sciences for disabling new ways bering enslavement, colonialism, racial ed Badiou to rescue him from his fail- the thesis of escalating emancipatory
subjects of Neocosmos’ book are eman- of thinking human emancipation uni- capitalism, and patriarchy were to Af- ure to recover the “authentic” agency politics to the universal level. Unlike
cipatory politics and human freedom. versally: “The core problem we face in ricans.  and voice of the ordinary Africa people, Diagne, who perceives universalism as
His concerns are rendered in this man- thinking emancipation is that the social just like Subaltern Studies has failed to an aspiration, Neocosmos is not clear
ner: sciences as currently constituted unfor- Neocosmos blames social science, recover the voice of the subaltern be- on what he means by the universal, and
tunately do not possess a universal con- “rarely engaged in thinking universal yond its representation.  his attempt to predicate emancipatory
How are we to begin to think hu- ception of humanity”.  emancipation, freedom, justice and politics on anything other than iden-
man emancipation in Africa today human dignity”. To resolve this prob- But Neocosmos’ argument is clearly tity, culture, and state sounds utopic
after the collapse of the Marxist, the The question of universalism is also lem, Neocosmos tries to ground eman- that there is a need to revive the idea rather than real.
Third World nationalists as well as the the main subject of a conversation be- cipatory politics on African people as of the people as makers of history and
neo-liberal visions of freedom? How tween the philosopher Souleymane thinkers and knowers, but at the same agents of emancipation, and that this The question of universals and par-
are we to conceptualize an emancipato- Bachir Diagne and the anthropolo- time, he strangely parachutes Badiou’s departure point will take us to the idea ticulars is also debated intensely by
ry future governed by a fidelity to the gist Jean-Loup Amselle in the book In thought into Africa to help him in re- of people as thinkers beyond their place philosophers Kwasi Wiredu and Odera
idea of a universal humanity in a con- Search for Africa(s). Amselle is desirous thinking and unthinking Africa. and identity. Neocosmos also advances Oruka in Debating African Philosophy.
text where humanity no longer features of a shift from provincialising Europe, the notion of displacement as a site of Those entities which are called “cultur-
within our ambit of thought and when which to him sounds like creating a When Neocosmos is confronted by thinking through the politics of eman- al universals” are said to undercut and
previous ways of thinking emancipa- culture map, to a “quest for common- this contradictory reality, his explana- cipation free from interests.  hinder philosophical dialogue (Oru-
tion have become obsolete?  alities which must prevail over affirma- tion is unconvincing: “Not that this ka1990; Wiredu Wiredu1990). 
book is about Badiou’s thought — it is To arrive at all this, three moves have
These key questions provoked Neo- to be undertaken: to think beyond sub- Intercultural communication, just
cosmos to mount acerbic critiques of jectivity beyond identity; to rethink his- like Diagne’s translation, is provided as
such disciplines as history, such fields a possible vehicle for ushering humani-
of study as social science, and such the- ty into the universal. But Debating Af-
ories as Marxism for being inadequate rican Philosophy is not only about uni-
to the task of rethinking freedom and versals and particulars, it is also about
relaunching emancipatory politics. So- how the discipline of philosophy 21st
cial science and history are criticized for first century. 
their tendency “to conflate the crucial
understanding that it is people who This is why the edited volume is
make history with an ex post facto anal- framed by concerns of “decolonising
ysis that imposes a necessary, objective, philosophy,” “decolonising for identi-
casual pattern on time” (xx). Marxist ty,” “decolonising for universal truth,”
political economy analysis is criticized “decolonising for relative truth,” “decol-
for its failure “to enable us to think an onising for justice,” and “decolonising
emancipatory political practice beyond for relevance.” The question of what is
interest; and in consequence Marx- liberation and the content of eman-
ist politics have remained, along with cipatory politics which pre-occupied
liberal politics, overwhelmingly statist Neocosmos also feature in Debating
in their practice” (xx). Invoking the African Philosophy, with a reflection
name “Africa” in the title of his book on African liberation movements and
(Thinking Freedom in Africa), Neocos- the question of identity.
mos emphasizes the need to think out
of place, out of order, and indeed be- How the philosophical canon ne-
yond place and identity. This is how he glected or supported enslavement in
frames his overarching argument: the 17th and 18th centuries is subjected
to analysis and critique in George Hull’s
Rather than starting from what edited volume Debating African Phi-
seems to distinguish Africa, its cultural losophy. This forms an ideal departure
uniqueness, which determines its place point for a discussion of decolonisation
in the Western imaginary — a position and its implications for philosophy as a
evidently rooted in Enlightenment discipline. The intervention of Ottobah
thought and central to colonial tax- Cuguoano is affirmatively provided to
onomy — this book begins from the mount a decolonial critique of Euro-
subversion of place, from how African centric moral and political philosophy:
people themselves thought emancipa-
tion when they rebelled, which is pre- Decolonising the philosophical can-
cisely what makes Africans fully part of on has a much broader aim and more
humanity as a whole.  far-reaching consequences than any-
thing that emerges simply from an ex-
All people are capable of thinking amination of the 18th century debate
beyond their social place and imme- about slavery, but the fact that the ca-
diate interests. Starting from culture nonical philosophers of that period do
merely forces a concentration on iden- not have a place in the history of aboli-
tity, ethnicity, authenticity, race, dark- tion is in and of itself a reason to re-ex-
ness, natives, ‘Africanity,’ periphery, amine both the canon of moral and
‘coloniality,’ and so on — on difference political philosophy and the interests
and not on universal humanity. Ulti- of those who once determined what be-
mately, it is allocation to social space longed to it and of those who now sus-
tain it. (Bernasconi and Hull2019:38)

What follows this opening chapter

NewsHawks Critical Thinking Page 39

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

are nuanced examinations of bioethics like all other postcolonial deconstruc- cates this: means to wish to create unity in plu- guages. Current African languages, in
from both decolonial and African phil- tions, is opposed to all essentialisms, It is necessary, epistemically, to give ralism”. At the centre of critical engage- the form familiar to us, also result from
osophical perspectives, which highlight culturalisations, and centrisms, as well ment with the discourse of “Africa ris- their being enclosed within clearly de-
what is termed “moral neo-colonial- as the continentalisation of thinking ourselves a ‘concept of Africa’, but gener- ing” is part of an “Africa” that “desires marcated borders in colonial times, so
ism.” The essays in this volume exam- and knowledge. Amselle is not only ally speaking the main sense of this is both Africa,” that is, an Africa that is devel- we must be careful not to represent
ine how a philosophy without memory critical of postcolonial and decolonial philosophical and political. If we must say oped. This is why in Africa Rising? Nav- these essentialised entities, which are
at its centre can constitute “epistemic perspectives, but is also consistently ‘Africa’ in the singular, this is not our ig- igating the Nexus Between Rhetoric and in reality artificially stabilised historical
injustice” in the context of South Afri- criticising all conceptions of Africa as norance of the constitutive plurality of the Emerging Reality there is an emphasis on products, as respectables for categories
ca; the centrality of African intellectual either essentialist or Afrocentric.  continent or of the ethics of pluralism (to three issues: the question of Africa’s in- of thought that have been established
ideas opposed to racism as stuff for phi- which I will return) which this de facto volvement in the global economy, Afri- once and for all.
losophy; Black consciousness ideas of As Amselle states: “For my part, I plurality necessitates. If we need to say ca’s agency with regard to development,
Steve Biko as a vehicle to improve “so- am an Africanist anthropologist who ‘Africa’ in the singular, this is because the and Africa’s ownership of resources and This deconstructionist approach
cial reality”; the importance of “African is here striving to critically deconstruct point is to name an idea, a project, a telos. ownership of the postcolonial trajecto- is also reflected in the work of Afri-
ethics” and issues of “guilt”; the “moral some concepts that have been unfor- It is to evoke the horizon onto which the ry of development. This dovetails neatly can linguistic experts such as Finex
status of nonhuman nature”; language tunately imposed on African societies, younger generations of the Africa of today with Diagne’s proposition that “The fu- Ndhlovu and Leketi Makala in Decol-
and philosophy; knowledge and phi- such as ‘Negritude,’ Bantu philosophy, are projecting their dream of tomorrow. ture of the African project is not given, onising Multilingualism in Africa: Re-
losophy; disability and the social con- Dogon cosmology, and so on”.  but will be what, together, we make of centering Silenced Voices from the Global
ception of the self; as well as the impor- Here Diagne, unlike Amselle, is re- it. It is in this respect that Africa is not South (Ndhlovu and Makalela2021),
tance of comparative perspectives.  One wonders what would be left of constructive. This reconstruction is part be the invention of anyone other than in which they highlight the problems
Africa if this radical postcolonial decon- of a long African intellectual and politi- Africans themselves. And this future of standardisation and orthography as
This is a rich and enriching work structionism were followed to its logical cal agenda to shift from what Ngugi wa has started to emerge”. well as how missionaries, colonialists,
which represents genuine efforts to re- conclusion. Of course, Amselle decon- Thiong’o termed a shift from the “Mu- and African nationalists invented what
spond to insurgent and resurgent de- structs Europe as well with the same dimbean idea of Africa” to the “African An Africa that “desires Africa” is one we know today as African languages. 
colonisation from disciplinary perspec- aggression, but does not speak of “Eu- idea of Africa” (Thiong’o2009:11). The which requires the epistemological de-
tives, using thematic vantage points.  ropes” to capture its multiplicity and Mudimbean idea of Africa privileges colonization which preoccupies the The question which arises is, was
political and cultural constructedness how Africa was invented by foreigners sixteen chapters of Debating African colonialism so successful that it com-
However, Diagne, who is a philoso- as he does for what emerges as “Africas” and how the idea of Africa is framed by Philosophy. However, invocations of mitted a linguicide? The answer comes
pher, insists on the concept of “a phi- (18). Amselle’s thesis is that “Conti- what he termed the “colonial library.”  African identity, African culture, Afri- from postcolonial theorists such as
losophy in Africa” rather than “African nents are like languages: they exist only can philosophy, African languages, and Homi Bhabha, who highlight that
philosophy.” because we speak about them, because The Ngugian idea of Africa is the African conceptions of human rights colonialism was always ambivalent,
we speak them”. concept of how Africans themselves captured in the Charter of the Mande riddled by internal ructions and never
The issues of democracy, democratic have self-defined and struggled to (of 1222) and the Hunter’s Oath have complete or successful (Bhabha1994).
transitions, sustainable development, Amselle’s interlocutor Diagne also make Africa in their own image. Di- provoked spirited dismissals by Jean- The answer also comes from decolonial
global blue economy, informal econ- poses the question of what Africa is, and agne is in favour of the African idea Loup Amselle from his radical an- theorists, particularly from the concept
omy, indigenous knowledge, conflict addresses the genealogy of the name, of Africa predicated on what Ngugi thropological deconstructionist stance. of “border gnosis” as the base from
resolution, and the discourse of Africa highlighting that Africa is not a coun- wa Thiong’o terms “re-membering,” Even the notion of African language which to reconstitute knowledge and
rising emerge poignantly in Africa Ris- try and agonizing over the question of without necessarily ignoring how the is subjected to the same radical decon- articulate an agenda for “re-existence”
ing? Navigating the Nexus Between Rhet- why Africa is the only continent that idea of Africa remains open and plural structionist dismissals. Whenever these (Mignolo Reference Mignolo2009).
oric and Emerging Reality.  should always be written in the plural (Thiong’o2009). This is why he states, issues are raised, Amselle raises the red
(“Africas”) as a reaction to essentialism “finally, I come back to the concept of flags of essentialism and Afrocentrism. What is then at play are the contesta-
In this volume, which is edited by and the colonial lack of differentiation re-membering. I repeat that it is affir- This radical deconstructionism emerges tions between postcolonial deconstruc-
Norman Sempijja and Kgame Molope, (99–100). Like Amselle, Diagne ac- mation and valorisation of the plurality poignantly here: tionism and decolonial reconstruction-
one finds an admixture of themes ad- cepts that anticolonial discourses (Ne- of Africa and not a project of homo- ism (reconstitution/re-membering/
dressed from diverse disciplinary per- gritude, African nationalism, African genisation”. I would like to emphasise that lan- re-existence). At the centre of this
spectives. While the discourse of “Africa personality, and others) have often dan- Conclusion: Africa desires Africa guages are historical, social and political contestation Neocosmos throws in the
rising” is chosen as the thread intended gerously offered a simplistic response to The concept of “Africa desires Africa” creations, and that, as such, they form complex politics of emancipation and
to tie the chapters together, this is not Eurocentric “othering” discourses. But comes from Diagne. “To desire Africa part of power relations, chains of lan- freedom, which are not premised on
effectively achieved. The empirical rich- unlike Amselle, Diagne strongly advo- identity and place. 
ness is both a strength and a weakness
of the book, because in its richness the The challenge is how to transcend
thread which cuts across it is often lost such previous and current categories
in the details and narrations.  of political analysis such as race, class,
nation, state, culture, civil society, and
However, the introductory chapter tradition so as to instantiate a new pol-
makes a good effort to establish this itics of emancipation that goes beyond
cohesive thread through its thematic identity and space — that is, a universal
interventions: “governance in the Afri- politics.  Universalism as a concept is
ca rising discourse,” “economic devel- problematic because “uni” means one
opment in the Africa rising discourse,” and the very paradigm of a modern
and “security in the Africa rising dis- world progressing towards a singular
course.” telos has the smell of Eurocentric en-
The order of knowledge, politics of lightenment. Secondly, if the notion
identity, and contested ideas of Africa of “a universal politics” sounds more
What role does identity play in knowl- idealistic and utopian than realistic, it
edge and knowing is a question which is because of global coloniality, which
has come to haunt the world of knowl- has successfully subjected all aspects of
edge. What also emerges poignantly is human life to its colonial matrices of
how the “colour line” and the “epistem- power, thus making the insurgent and
ic line” have coalesced to set in motion resurgent decolonisation of the twen-
a cognitive empire which continues to ty-first century the most viable means
wreak epistemic havoc in Africa (Nd- for advancing liberatory politics. The
lovu-Gatsheni2018, Ndlovu-Gatshe- decolonial vision is that of “pluriver-
ni2020, Ndlovu-Gatsheni2021). In the sality” rather than universality, which
midst of all this, there is an emerging Ngugi wa Thiong’o (Thiong’o2012:8)
consensus that knowledge plays an named “globalectics” (a new “way of
active role in the creation of realities thinking and relating to the world,
(the idea that epistemology frames re- particularly in the era of globalism and
ality) (Mignolo and Walsh2018; San- globalisation.”
tos2018; Ndlovu-Gatsheni2018).
Within this context, Africa and Af-
It was perhaps from this perspective ricans have to be liberated from the
of how epistemology frames ontology objectivity which cascades from Euro-
that the Congolese intellectual Valentin centric thought and its radical decon-
Y. Mudimbe (Mudimbe1988, Mudim- structions to the extent that nothing
be1994) introduced the notions of the African remains even as a concept and
“invention of Africa” and the “idea of an imaginary.
Africa.” In Mudimbe’s writings, one
finds efforts to deconstruct and recon- *About the writer: Sabelo J Ndl-
struct the idea of Africa, albeit with ovu-Gatsheni is Professor and Chair
premium given to external forces and of Epistemologies of the Global South
factors.  with Emphasis on Africa at the Uni-
versity of Bayreuth in Germany. He
In Diagne and Amselle’s In Search of is a leading decolonial theorist with
Africa(s), the idea of Africa is subjected over 100 publications in the fields
to intense debates, with Amselle on the of African history, African politics,
offensive predicated on a deconstructiv- African development and decolonial
ist anthropological perspective which, theory.rn the fate of the continent.

Page 40 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

TEN years after Muammar Gaddafi’s Is the return of a Gaddafi
death, Libya is in the midst of a frag- in Libya a realistic option?
ile peace process aimed at ending  a
decade of chaos and bloodshed. The
enduring turmoil has fostered a form
of nostalgia for the Gaddafi era, with
some Libyans even considering the
prospect of seeing his son Saif al-Is-
lam in power one day.

Gaddafi, whose quixotic and brutal
rule stretched over 42 years, was cap-
tured by insurgents  on 20 October
2011, and then pronounced dead in
his home town in circumstances that
remain unclear.

Three of his sons — Mutassim,
Khamis and Saif al-Arab — were also
killed during the 2011 conflict.  

However, the best known of Gadd-
afi’s offspring, Saif al-Islam, implicitly
endorsed by his father to succeed him
one day and once viewed in the West
as a reformer able to democratise and
liberalise Libya, is still alive.

Captured in November 2011 by an
armed group in Zintan, southwest of
Tripoli, Saif al-Islam was sentenced to
death in absentia in Tripoli in 2015
after  an expeditious trial. Wanted
by the International Criminal Court
(ICC) on charges of crimes against
humanity, he kept a low profile for a
long time, even after his release from
a prison in Zintan in 2017.

Nostalgia for the Gaddafi years?       sentiment also lingers among a sec- time, and who have not really experi- political strategies of foreign powers, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi.
However, in July 2021, the 49-year- tion of the population, disappointed enced the true nature of his regime.”    Badi adds.    ing on him,” he adds.
old broke his silence and gave an in- by the chronic instability and vio-
terview to the New York Times mag- lence that has roiled the country over The late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi "We must not forget that his first However, apart from the complica-
azine. the past decade. Saif al-Islam, an option for the Rus- media appearance was reserved for tions that may arise from his convic-
sians?    the New York Times. However, the tion by a Libyan court and the ICC
With Libya set to hold a high- It is this wave of disenchantment, The mere fact  that Saif al-Islam’s re- Libyan public is not used to reading arrest warrant, the prospect of seeing
stakes presidential election on 24 De- which the returning Gaddafi intends turn to power is contemplated as a this American newspaper. The mes- a Gaddafi back in business is far from
cember, Saif al-Islam profited from to surf. plausible scenario says a lot, not only sage was addressed to a foreign au- decided. The Gaddafis have many en-
this media exposure to announce about the current state of the Libyan dience and particularly to countries emies who will do everything to pre-
his return to the political arena. “There is no money, no security. political class, but also about the geo- most likely to accept a return to busi- vent him from returning to politics.    
There is no more life here. Go to the ness for his clan.”   
It is not the first time his comeback gas station: there is no gas. We export “Even the Gaddafi  camp itself is
has been heralded. Back  in March oil and gas to Italy. We light half of Indeed Saif al-Islam remains a po- much more fragmented than some
2018, as if to test opinion, the Lib- Italy and we have power outages here. litical option that may still interest imagine,” says Badi. “This is due to
yan Popular Front, a party that does This is more than a failure. It's a fias- some foreign actors in the Libyan divisions linked to the very image of
not hide its pro-Gaddafi leanings, co,” he told the NYT.    conflict, including Russia.  Especial- Saif al-Islam, perceived by some as
announced from Tunis that the son ly, if they don’t find Marshal Khalifa responsible for the fall of his father
of “Africa’s king of kings” would be “In recent years, Saif al-Islam Haftar, a protégé of Moscow, useful because of his positions, which were
running for president.     Gaddafi's standing has only increased anymore.   considered too moderate before the
in certain communities, especially for events of 2011.” 
In the NYT interview, Saif al-Is- economic, security or political rea- "While it will be very difficult for
lam, sporting a greying beard and sons, which arouse much more nos- Saif al-Islam to enjoy internal legiti- “Even if he were to come to power,
dressed in a black qamis (traditional talgia for the Gaddafi years than in macy, he can however count on exter- it would be very difficult for him to
shirt) embroidered with golden mo- the early years after the fall of the re- nal support,” Badi says.    establish his authority throughout
tifs and a black turban, did not say gime, when no one was talking about Libya, given how fragmented the
if  he would run  in the December a return of this clan,” Badi says.    “Russia, which has always main- country is," Badi concludes.     
election. He did however say he was tained political, military and even
convinced that his movement could Ironically, he adds, “this phenom- economic relations with the Gaddafi “Saif al-Islam Gaddafi must surely
restore “the country’s lost unity”.  enon is even perceptible at the level clan, may seek to promote, or even know that Libya is much more com-
of the younger generations, who were impose, a return to a clan-based form plicated than it was in 2011, at the
Since the interview, his political not yet mature during Gaddafi's life- of governance, for example, by rely- time of his father's death.” 
ambitions have been taken very seri-
ously. —France 24.

"It is not impossible to see a Gadd-
afi coming to power in Libya in the
distant future. It is not completely
unthinkable,” Emadeddin Badi, a
Libya specialist and a researcher  at
the US thinktank, the Atlantic Coun-
cil, told France 24.  

“On the other hand, it is still too
early today,” Badi cautioned. “So
there is very little chance that, if he is
a candidate, Saif al-Islam will win the
presidential election in December.”

Nonetheless, the Gaddafi clan, and
Saif al-Islam in particular, are still
popular among  nostalgics and offi-
cials of the former regime, and among
the clans that remained loyal to the
former dictator’s family. Pro-Gaddafi

ADVERT SPACE

The NewsHawks TheNewsHawksLive www.thenewshawks.com [email protected]

NPaegwe 4s0Hawks WWoorrlldd NNeewwss Issue 57,N19eNwovseHmPbaaewgr e20k42s11

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

The military honor guard attend during National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan won't be forced to bow to China, says
President Tsai during National Day celebrations

TAIWAN will not bow to pressure "This is because the path that Chi- ter, as the national anthem was per- tributes to the maintenance of peace island's ministry of national defense
and nobody can force it to accept na has laid out offers neither a free formed at the start of the ceremony. and stability across the Taiwan Strait said in a statement.
the path China has laid out for the and democratic way of life for Tai- and within the region."
self-governing democracy, President wan, nor sovereignty for our 23 mil- As part of the celebrations, Tai- Last Wednesday, Taiwan's Defense
Tsai Ing-wen said Sunday as the is- lion people." wan's ministry of national defense China's Ministry of Foreign Af- Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng estimat-
land celebrated its National Day said it would display four types of fairs subsequently criticized the US ed that China could be capable of
amid heightened tensions with Bei- Tsai added that Taiwan's position domestic missiles, include the Thun- for making "irresponsible remarks," mounting a "full-scale" invasion by
jing. on cross-strait relations remains un- derbolt 2000 multiple rocket launch- adding the US has "seriously under- 2025.
changed. er, medium-range Sky Sword II and mined the One-China Principle."
During her speech in front of the Sky Bow III, as well as cruise missiles "With regards to staging an attack
presidential office in the capital Tai- "Maintaining the status quo is our Hsiung Feng II and III. Despite the constant military on Taiwan, they currently have the
pei, Tsai warned that Taiwan is facing position, and we will do our utmost threat, analysts pointed out that Tai- ability. But [China] has to pay the
the "most complex situation" in the to prevent the status quo from being During the parade, however, the wan has steadily expanded its inter- price," he said, adding that the price
past 72 years, since the end of the unilaterally altered," she said. audience did not see the actual mis- national presence over the last few will become lower in the next four
Chinese civil war. siles when the military trucks drove years. Last Thursday, Tsai welcomed years.
Taiwan and mainland China have past the stage. former Australian prime minister
Her speech came days after China been governed separately since the Tony Abbott and a group of French Chang Yan-ting, a former depu-
flew record numbers of warplanes end of a civil war more than seven Heightened tensions senators in Taipei, as she vowed to ty commander of the Taiwanese air
into its defense zone in a significant decades ago, in which the defeated Beijing has refused to rule out mil- deepen collaborations with "free- force, told CNN he believed the dis-
escalation of military tensions. Chi- Nationalists fled to Taipei. itary force against Taiwan if neces- dom-loving democracies" around the play of missiles were linked to a recent
nese President Xi Jinping on Satur- sary, and tensions have risen in recent world. proposal to increase the island's de-
day vowed to pursue what Beijing However, Beijing views Taiwan as weeks after the Chinese People's Lib- fense spending. The defense ministry
called "reunification" with Taiwan by an inseparable part of its territory eration Army sent the largest number "It is a balancing act," said J. Mi- proposed last month an extra budget
peaceful means. -- even though the Chinese Com- of warplanes -- including fighter jets chael Cole, a Taipei-based senior of US$8.7 billion over the next five
munist Party has never governed the and nuclear-capable bombers — into fellow with Global Institute Taiwan. years to upgrade weapons — includ-
"Those who forget their heritage, democratic island. Taiwan's Air Defense Identification "Taiwan has been in recent years ing developing new missiles.
betray their motherland and seek to Zone (ADIZ) last week. seizing the opportunity to expand its
split the country will come to no In her speech, Tsai presented Tai- The incursions did not violate international space ... we have seen Chang said Sunday's parade was
good," Xi said. He also reiterated wan as being at the forefront of the Taiwan's sovereign airspace, which this with the United States in recent likely targeted at the domestic au-
calls for Taipei to unify with Beijing battle between democracy and au- extends 12 nautical miles from its years, but more and more other de- dience to rally support for increased
under a "one country, two systems" thoritarianism, echoing the theme coast. The US Federal Aviation Ad- mocracies -- large and small — are military spending, adding the devel-
model, similar to that used in Hong of the celebrations this year — "a ministration defines an ADIZ as "a also willing to challenge what just a opment of long-range and mobile
Kong — but generally opposed by democratic alliance, making friends designated area of airspace" where a few years ago had been unbreachable missiles would be an important part
Taiwan. around the world." country "requires the immediate and red lines defined by Beijing." for Taiwan to boost its asymmetric
positive identification, location and warfare capabilities.
In response, Tsai said on Sunday "At this moment free and demo- air traffic control" to protect its na- For example, Lithuania an-
that Taiwan hopes for "an easing cratic countries have been alerted to tional security. nounced in July that it would allow "The best weapon for elevating our
of cross-strait relations" and will the expansion of authoritarianism, Last weekend, the US State De- Taipei to open a new representative precision-strike capabilities is by de-
not "act rashly," but stressed "there and Taiwan is on the forefront of the partment issued a statement that office under the name "Taiwan" — veloping missiles," he said, because
should be absolutely no illusions that defense line of fellow democracies," called on China "to cease its military, despite having no formal diplomat- they can be effective for targeting
the Taiwanese people will bow to she said, following a morning of mu- diplomatic, and economic pressure ic relations with the self-governing airports and ports if military conflict
pressure." sical and dance performances. and coercion against Taiwan." island. Beijing strongly opposed the were to happen.
"The United States is very con- move, and both China and Lithuania
"We will continue to bolster our The ceremony, held outside the cerned by the People's Republic of subsequently recalled their ambassa- "We cannot control whether or
national defense and demonstrate presidential office in Taipei, was at- China's provocative military activity dors amid worsening ties. not the Chinese Communist Party
our determination to defend our- tended by hundreds of people, in- near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, has the ability to attack Taiwan, but
selves in order to ensure that nobody cluding members of the public and risks miscalculations, and under- Military parade we are able to control and make sure
can force Taiwan to take the path foreign guests -- a smaller attendance mines regional peace and stability," The military parade on Sunday is it does not have the motivation to do
China has laid out for us," she said at than previous years due to Covid said US State Department spokes- an unprecedented show of force to so," Chang added. "We need to be
the National Day celebrations, which concerns. person Ned Price. "The US commit- mark Taiwan's National Day, with able to defend against the first wave
marked 110 years of a revolution that ment to Taiwan is rock solid and con- an aim to "show the national army's of attacks — whether it is for half a
ended the last Chinese imperial dy- On Sunday, major roads in the determination, responsibilities and month, one month, or two months,
nasty. Taiwanese capital were lined with na- obligation in defending Taiwan," the then we can wait for assistance from
tional flags. The celebration also saw the international world." —CNN.
the largest national flag ever made
flown over the crowds by a helicop-

Page 42 NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 43 Issue 57, 19 November 2021

JONATHAN MBIRIAYAMVEKA

HIP-HOP sensation KTheChosen is KTheChosen
basking in the glory of success of his
third studio album titled +Vice (pro- KTheChosen is one of the hottest
nounced as add-vice). upcoming rappers out of Calgary

The Canadian-based freestyle rap- lights how social media has made an The first verse tells a typical story As he starts, he also looks at the
per has already demonstrated that already delicate human experience about a night out while the second double standard that exists with-
even in a fiercely competitive sector even more difficult to navigate with verse points out what was wrong in in dating expectations for men and
like hip-hop, artistic zeal and re- celebrity deaths and the martyrdom the first verse and offers solutions to women as well as the judgment faced
sourcefulness are enough to build a of those who have died due to race- each situation.  by famous black couples.
name. Born in Zimbabwe, KTheCho- based violence. And Lono is an old
sen creates music that is both thought phrase that stands for “locals only, no It was also a direct response to a Her Anthem is a posse cut with
provoking and entertaining.  outsiders”.  conversation South African come- three amazing MCs speaking on
dian Trevor Noah had with radio female empowerment and being a
As a spoken word artiste, The song looks at the effects of co- show, The Breakfast Club about con- woman in the music industry.
KTheChosen believes in the power of lonialism, especially on Indigenous sent culture. Dear African Fathers,
storytelling and uses his voice to share Canadians, using the metaphor of KTheChosen features rapper, Soko As for Kintsugi, also known as
the experiences of those around him.  children in a playground.  Matemai to discuss African parenting “golden repair”, it is the Japanese art
styles and how it affects the develop- of repairing broken pottery by mend-
The 25-year-old’s latest album cov- It features a verse from Blackfoot ing the areas of breakage with pow-
ers topics such as grief, feminism and artiste TRIBETheArtist as well as ment of their children.  dered gold, silver, or platinum.
mental wellbeing. singing and hand drumming from Partially inspired by an open
Cree artiste Chantal Stormsong KTheChosen uses this same idea
This young artiste, currently based Chagnon. letter to black men by Nigeri- to remind us to be kind and patient
in Calgary, serves as an inspiration an-American artiste Jidenna of with ourselves and see the beauty in
to many youngsters who aspire to be While on Which One r u? Classic Man fame. our faults. On the whole, the album
successful in this industry. The song looks at bystander broadens KTheChosen’s horizons and
intervention and club culture. On Courtship, a man at- allows music listeners to see his artis-
His path is setting the stage for the It was inspired by a sexual tempts to woo a woman and tic diversity.
Zimbabwean diaspora rap culture to harm-prevention campaign in convince her that he wants to
gain recognition on its own.  New Zealand titled Who Are be in a serious relationship us- To top it all, he laces his verses with
You?  ing playful allusions to sports Shona, proving to all and sundry that
On +Vice it is simply a concept al- references.  he is uniquely Zimbabwean.
bum that looks at the importance of
checking up on those we care about. 

Often we only pay attention to
symptoms of poor mental well-being
(for example, alcoholism) instead of
addressing the root cause. 

A person may be drinking more
due to stress but if we do not ask
them what is going on in their lives
then the truth may never be revealed
and whatever solution we come up
with will only be temporary. 

The musical project revolves
around the passing on of an unnamed
female character and each song looks
at different possible factors that may
have led to her death.  The songs cov-
er colonialism, grief, bad parenting,
the pressure of societal expectations
and club culture.  Each topic has an
effect on how we perceive ourselves
and how our ability to keep up with
this perception affects our mental
health. The prologue gave us an in-
troduction to the character but this
song introduces us to the world she
lives in.

A global pandemic has occurred
and there is economic and political
unrest as the world confronts the un-
certainty of the future. 

“I wanted people to get into the
mindset that I wrote this project in
so they could think of how the lock-
down affected creatives’ ability to live
off their work while juggling the re-
sponsibility to be thought leaders and
commentators on social issues. 

“For all we know, our unnamed
character may have been an artiste
herself,” he said about the album.

On Petrichor, the song focuses on
one of the core topics of the proj-
ect, grief. We are mourning the loss
of the unnamed character but also
sympathising with everyone who has
lost loved ones during the Covid-19
pandemic. The second verse high-

Page 44 Life & Style NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Neria reboot premieres as Neria 21

ADDY KUDITA in Zimbabwe to this day. We called the attention of younger moviegoers to work that you do helps a lot.”   believe we can be the voice (loud and
remake Neria 2021. The film, 30 years a movie that contains contemporary Nesuma Madhikiwe assumes the clear) other women and girls would
ON 25 November 2021 at Ster Kine- ago, created awareness in the African themes more relevant to them now, like to hear to acknowledge the unfor-
kor Cinema at Sam Levy’s Village in audience on issues about the laws that than the previous one. The big idea was much-hated role as villain originally tunate situations, and more so step up
Harare the '90s classic Neria, in a sec- governed inheritance versus cultural to shift mindsets in terms more relevant played by Dominic Kanaventi. He is to challenge the normal (abnormal) by
ond coming with a completely differ- beliefs and how women could fight for to the age we inhabit.” the brother-in-law (Phineas) who piles using existing structures to solve the is-
ent cast and crew, returns to the silver what belonged to them. While some of misery upon misery on the life of the sues we have mentioned and come out
screen. the laws have since changed, we believe Describing the film as a passion proj- grieving widow in the movie. Discuss- stronger than before to face any other
to this day women and girls are still ex- ect, the producers of Neria made the ing his role as Phineas, Madhikiwe situation in life at the same level with
It is a long way from the year 1991 periencing in both social and business film through innovative means, includ- reflects, “I decided to take this role men. It’s bad enough to be a widow,
when the original movie accompanied circles dispossession emanating from ing a partnership with Panasonic South because even though it is nothing like how much more when your own fam-
by the hit title track Neria was first re- a cultural background that historically Africa, to kick-start the production me, I wanted to do my part in helping ily preys on you?” elaborates Neria 21
leased to wide acclaim before going on placed little significance to the role of process. The film was shot during the to educate people about the difference producer Vimbai Sinchuke, an accoun-
to become one of the most highly suc- women in the development of the so- Covid-19 lockdown period. Well-wish- between right and wrong. I am a hus- tant-turned-film producer.
cessful films to come out of Africa and ciety and the economy although the ers such as The University of Zimba- band. I am also a father. The women
Zimbabwe. The classic was helmed by contributions were equitable to men bwe, Chop Chop Zindoga, Kadzere, in my life are very dear to me.  For me, “It was the desire to see this vision
the late film director Godwin Mawu- contributions. Hungwe and Mandevere Legal Practi- taking this role was as a part of my re- come true which made us wake up ev-
ru, with screenplay by Louise Riber, tioners donated venues for the filming sponsibility to help advance the protec- ery day with renewed energy amidst
original story by Tsitsi Dangarembga, Issues like physical and mental of certain scenes, in the process helping tion of women.” limited financial resources to make use
Godwin Mawuru (original concept). abuse, discrimination, marginalisation, Rawsoot Productions pull off a kind of of what we had and realise the dream
Jesesi Mungoshi starred in the lead role less representation at decision making Houdini feat in making the film. Innocent Kufakunesu reprises the not only for ourselves but for all wom-
as Neria alongside Dominic Kanaventi as well as micro-aggressions, cyber bul- The cast role made famous by the late Oliver en and girls. So, yes, on the 25th of
as the villain. The movie was produced lying toward women, are still prevalent Kudzai Chengedza, a native of Masv- Mtukudzi along with the Black Spirits, November, the UN international day
by John Riber with Godwin Mawuru today. They contribute towards a loss of ingo, plays the role of Neria. She has as Neria’s brother, Jethro. Kufakunesu is to end violence against women, we are
as co-producer. productivity for women, infringing on a rich background in theatre, she is a formidable musician in his own right. set to premiere for the first time in Ha-
their basic human rights.” now well known for the clean comedy “The late great Oliver Mtukudzi is my rare at an exclusive event to commem-
The plot is based on characters Neria content on her PaYard Facebook page. hero. This opportunity to be able to orate the day Neria 21! The idea being
and Patrick, a married professional cou- Cordelia Masalethulini, who stars as Jesesi Mungoshi’s role is played by play my guitar and sing his much-loved to heed the UN calls to make public
ple living comfortably in Harare. Disas- a lawyer in the movie, maintains that Chengedza who says, “ Who wouldn’t songs to a wider audience was such an awareness of the abuse towards wom-
ter strikes when Patrick is killed in an the issues the story raises are still topical. want the challenge and the excitement honour for me.”  en.”
accident and traditional Shona custom “When it comes to matters regarding of that? As a performer, I am always
kicks in to deprive Neria of her estate women’s rights, the original was highly looking for new ways and opportuni- Film is tough business and produc- Films like Neria run the risk of com-
and children. instrumental in changing draconic laws ties to improve and develop my craft. ers better have good money sense, but ing across as preachy because of the
that had left widows in dire straits upon So when I was offered the role of Ner- the motivation to highlight pertinent subject matter and it takes deft story-
So what is different this time? The the loss of their spouses. ia, I was scared because it is such a big issues weighed greater than the finan- telling to help such issue-based films
NewsHawks spoke to Vimbai Sin- role. But I simply decided to do my cial constraints. transfix and transport audiences with-
chuke, the film’s producer. “With per- The second reason was that women, best and I grew so much through the out losing them along the way. It is the
mission from Media for Development although aware of laws meant to pro- process. My husband and family were “We believe we have retold the story hope of the cast and crew on the 25th
International in the USA, as Rawsoot tect them, still lose their valuables, not also very supportive because I had to with modern filming methods. Tak- of November that their homage to a
Studios accredited by the Zimbabwe because of a lack of laws, but rather be- spend weeks at a time away from them. ing into consideration the quality of classic African film will not bomb. Al-
Media Commission, we have com- cause of not taking advantage of legal So having a partner who supports the work the modern audience demands, bert Nyathi will lend star quality with a
pleted producing a remake of the instruments available to protect their we believe we have produced a mas- cameo appearance in the Trust Sayi-di-
award-winning 1991 film Neria. It interests. terpiece that will once again be the rected movie.
remains the highest grossing film ever highest grossing film in Zimbabwe
The final reason was to bring the for the global audience in all time. We

NewsHawks State of the culture Page 45

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Bulawayo is Zimbabwe’s hip-hop capital

Addy • Vi The Law
Kudita • Malcom Mufunde
• Stiiv
• Hfiles
• Reap3r
• Ktox

BULAWAYO has of late been in 2021. 3. Best Collaboration Holy Ten. 14. Best Alternative
what the streetwise call "beast “It’s impressive, the level of • Muse Ft Asaph -Pressure • King 98
mode" insofar as its leisure and • Nizzy Raps Ft William Last • Kingsville Clothing • Kae Chaps
entertainment scene is con- competition is real. The quality • Ceramic Pro • Dough Major
cerned. is good because the bulk of the Krm- We Up 8. Best Album • Noluntu J
It has been gig after gig over the entries could easily be nominat- • Mile Ft Marques -Rasta • R Peels -Revelations • Tylor Wayne
past couple of weeks, with locals ed, which made the process more • Volts & Holy Ten – How Far • Crooger – Concrete Jungle • Lord Skills
enjoying coming out of lock- difficult.” • Adrizzy-Ft Various Artists • Holy Ten – Risky Life 15. Best Media Online
down. • Dough Major –Shebeen • The 263 Post
Just last week, house music ar- The response was unprece- Amasalad • Rap Vol 2 • The Juice Magazine
tiste Durban Gogo was at Umgu- dented. “We had over 700 sub- • Eloksion • The Dawg - Phases • Zimsphere
za Yacht Club hot on the heels missions, which are the most we • Kikky , Crooger-Kurunga • Malcom Mufunde And Syn- • Zazise
of Major League disc jockeys the have ever had. The adjudication • Rpeels Ft Volts -Zino • Keep It Real Fridays
other weeks who held fort at one process was done by a mixed 4. Best Hip-Hop Group/DUO ik- Trash • Zim Hiphop Market
of the city’s premier nightspots panel with representatives from • Killemol 9. Best Promoter 16. Best Journalist.
Smoke House and the young across the country and industry • Crisswiss And The Dot • Big Bass • Denzel Sambo
and restless have not had it so people. Using our criteria guide- • Crooger And Kikky • Cottage 47 • Spekktrum
good. Upcoming are hip-hop lines.”  • Tr3y Xl, Mcknife And The • Magamba Network • Mukudzei Mlambo
gigs by the likes of Rockie Doub, • Zazise Media • Elmond Chibaya
Noluntu J and Luminous, who Leading the nominees list are Mystry -Boys Dze Smoko 10. Best Diaspora • Takudzwa Kadzura
represent the self-styled hip-hop rappers Holy Ten alongside Ki- • Cottage 47 • Chief Chino • Mthabisi Tshuma
capital as its brightest and most kky Badass with seven nods in 5. Best Producer • Kuda K 17. Song of the Year
promising stars. seven categories, namely Best • Tha Dawg • Dumi Right • Holy 10 -Wakatuka Amai
Collaboration, Best Male, Song • Afrow Zenda • Awa • Volts –These Days
Mlue Jay, who is also doing of the Year, Best Hustle, Hip- • Phanas • Dimitri And The Scarecrow • Rockie Doub – My Shine
the most in South Africa and hop Personality of the Year, Song • Mcknife • Mlue J • Mile Ft Marques -Rasta
has managed to place his content of the Year, and People’s Choice • Jon The Producer 11. Best Radio DJ • Mitch Uta – Nothing Is Free
on MTV Base, is a rapper and a award. The following is the list • Ba Sushie • Lady K And Pd • Muse –Presure
videographer. He has a mad set for the Pogues Zimbabwe Hip- 6. Best New Comer • Promethiou 18. Video of the Year & Video
off skills, he is on the come up Hop Awards nominees in 2021. • Stiiv • Dj Mox Director of the Year
and is being tipped for hip-hop’s 1. Best Male • Volts • Khekhe • King 98 – Chini Juu
summit. Killemol is a rap duo on • The Dawg • Luminous 12. Best Gospel Act • Kent - Movie
the come up. Still, hip-hop roy- • Holy 10 • Dough Major • Joe Chiz • Mile - Rasta
alty ASAPH is also gunning for • Volts • Monster • Top Kriss • Mitch Uta – No Lie
a gong alongside MUSE in the • R Peels 7. Best Brand Supporting Lo- • Nta • Muse Ft Asaph Prssure
Best Video category for the song • Crooger cal Hip-Hop • J Soldier • Kikky,Crooger - Kurungga
"Pressure".  2. Best Female • Cottage 47 • D Moses 19. Best Hip Hop Hustle.
• Noluntu J • Magamba Network 13. Best Underground • Oscar Utete
The sub-culture is coalesc- • Kikky Bad Ass • Big Bass • Tashamiswa
ing and blossoming with better • Skillz Tha Louche • R Peels
organisation into a formida- • Tashamiswa • Rockie Doub
ble force to reckon with. Just • Awa • Holy 10
as well, the Pogues Zimbabwe • Kikkie Bad Ass
Hip-Hop Awards are around 20. Best Hip Hop Verse (Sweet
the corner and last week the 16 Award)
nominees list came out and the • Indigo Saint -93 Till Infinity
streets are abuzz. Every nom-
inee has a glint in the eye, and Freestyle
the desire for a gong is palpable. • Mile - Rasta
The man responsible for steering • Dough Major- S0 Slow
the awards ship with his team is • Mitch Uta –Nothing Is Free
Aldrean "Beefy" Harrison, the • Stiiv -Hitlab Cypher
co-founder of the awards which • Malcom Mufunde - Boom
have been held for over 10 years 21. Hip Hop Personality of the
on mostly a wing and a prayer. Year
The awards only managed to gar- • Mitch Uta
ner a title sponsor last year but • Kikky Badass
maybe that is a down to a lack • Indigo Saint
of understanding on the part of • Rpeels
corporates on the power of hip- • Holy Ten
hop as a widely embraced youth 22. People’s Choice
sub-culture. As far as Zimbabwe • Kikky Bad Ass
is concerned, Bulawayo rules • Dough Major
hip-hop in terms of the culture’s • Indigo Saint
facets, namely Djing (creative • Luminous
handling of music and beats); • Crooger
MCing (rapping or setting spo- • Volts
ken word to a groove); Writing • Holy 10
(graffiti). Other elements such • King 98
theatre and literature are yet to
take root in the city although
poetry slamming is very much
a Bulawayo thing. Little wonder
then that the awards will be held
in the city on 11 December. The
NewsHawks spoke to Aldrean
Harrison (AH) about the class of

Page 46 Life & Style NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Title: Will rise again Title: Beerhall poetry Title: Death of a poem
Poet: Aleck Kaposa Poet: Sir OCTAgon Poet: Farai C Mlambo

I will rise again ... and so they belched strife after a gulp of A poem dies
tomorrow wise waters. when artificial barriers are erected like
after the stillborn dream To live or to die, the two keys to life's giant spanners jettisoned
has been coldly dreamt, door. The bottles choked firmly by the neck, without conscience or consideration.
after the long-awaited bliss A perfect symbol for the battles grabbing them It suffocates; when solid roadblocks
has been castrated, by the balls. and lofty toll gates crop up ahead
after the needle Who cares? When the chugs feel like hugs, like militant desperados out to
has pierced the most delicate flesh, The groaning like a groove beat in their black mute its rhythm
after hope’s cadaver has been interred label. And so when one of the men began to and smother creation.
and tears have been shed, cry, Once deadened,
after time has washed away One brayed, "Give this man a Bells! no amount of tears
the pain The next morning he did not remember what or colourful wreaths
the wounds will heal, happened, Except, he was saved by the Bells. or sweetened eulogies
and I will dream again may mend its broken soul.
I will be a sun *********************************************** It's unconsolable!
and rise again It's uncontrollable!
Title: Halloween party Let it flow like a river, in its chosen dis-
*********************************************** Poet: Tashinga Ruth Ndindana (poetic soul) course! Lest it retains its boiling wrath
and returns to haunt, as a wraith!
Poet: Megaton Ruramai Kuhudzai My Halloween costume would be iron shackles
Title: You Play Me Leg-ironed, cuffed wrists, chains draping down ***********************************************
Metal sparkling silver, like precious jewels on Title: Slimy Ballads
Sir, you play my person the neck of a king’s daughter Poet: Sydney Nyagato
Pluck at me like a thumb piano. When I walk in at the party, every eye will turn
In your hands I'm as a marionette on me Ceaselessly, I strum the silk strings;
Dancing to the beat of your inventions. Metal hitting metal, a jingle bells song on an to the jiving quavers and crotchets,
You Serpent kiss me saying October evening serenading through nights of serious vig-
The instrument is our Black essence Did Messiah come this early? ils; sounding the acoustic,
Handed down throughout generations. Except I’m no kings daughter in melodious ways,
You key into me many promises This feast triggers something in my blood to the syrupy indigenous juices,
So I surrender my thumb at the elections. I had flashbacks of scenes Afrocentric and hilarious...
But soon after you're elevated Where my great-great grandparents stood in
You take to the sky & see us from afar these chains; Being auctioned, ***********************************************
At grand heights, amnesia takes hold of you “Great sale!!” they all celebrated after Poet: Sheikh Al Dirani
So you forget that manure renders nutrients Black boy, the audacity Poem: The Last Half
Hence hold your nose sometimes twisting it Inviting a black goddess to an all white feast
To evade our unperfumed body sweat. Black boy, you sound excited The lusty gusts bursting in August dusts
We wish for you to not throw up Boyish squirm, ear to ear asking if I’m coming Shake the last frosts off the wiry twigs of
On your silk Polo shirt or imported tuxedo to the Halloween party winter To unclench life in the fists of bud-
Thus will shut our ears to the music Boy, grow up! ding leaves; The sap-tapping embers of
Avoid patronizing ground events nearby. Baas-boy, yesterday you were mopping floors September; Fiery kilns even the nodding
Others are free to congregate, to hear your and testing tea temperature in their offices gecko cringes. Susurrating Kalahari winds
lies Today you’re mopping their floors with your pregnant with grit. Soughing sands sing
But not I, brain; Bleached, brain-washed black boy odes to the Savannah.
I've witnessed enough cinema fiction Sipping wine, getting tipsy Broiling In the crucible of October
A calculator is for Mathematics, Did you forget you’re black, baas-boy? We grow arid faced, cactus skinned.
It cannot spy.The signature quite clear, A halloween suit, does not make you civilized Untiring choristers of Spring in the cicadas
No more shall I be, Away from the Gourd Brushing shoulders with western civilization To the heat trill a ceaseless soprano.
does not bleach your skin Amid the mirages November labours with
You’re black and a boy hope; Decibels of baritone in the voices of
This suit, doesn’t scare anyone the gods; Rock the dome headed clouds
Yours is just noosing your brain to the white like a dream: Something with a heart is
man’s train being born. In deft steps in saunters a soft
Who is going to incorporate your own culture December; To reveal the secret of life in a
brain enslaved black boy??? germinating seed; And a future refracted
in the carats of a raindrop

NewsHawks People & Places Page 47

Issue 57, 19 November 2021

Intra-African Trade Fair 2021 in Durban

Afreximbank president Benedict Oramah (third from right) and Zimbabwean entrepreneur Adam Molai (third from left) at the Intra-African Trade Fair in Durban.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa arriving at King Shaka International Airport in (Left to right) Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and
Durban. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Property
NewsHawks

Issue 57, 19 November 2021 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Page 48

The home of prime property: [email protected]

Depressed demand,
Covid-19 subdue
Zim’s prop market

Old Mutual says there is a need for the property sector to adapt to trends. — Picture: Aaron Ufumeli ALEX MHANDU

Asset voids rise erodes DEPRESSED demand has continued to weigh on the property
returns: Old Mutual market due to subdued economic activity in the past year, as the
Zimbabwe’s property is still smarting on property capital values. country battled the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,
DUMISANI NYONI from the biggest blows felt after the real es- Integrated Properties said occupancy lev- experts have said.
tate sector was not included among essential
OLD Mutual Investment Group says the services when the government announced els remained low in the rental market, with Commercial property in central business districts (CBD) have
property sector’s valuation in Zimbabwe is blanket lockdowns from March 2020, as empty spaces being a perennial headache been the worst affected segment, where voids were also prevalent
unlikely to change in real terms going for- the battle to frustrate the Covid-19 pan- for property owners in both the residential as businesses have of late been relocating their operations to office
ward, but the continued trend of a growth demic kicked off. and commercial space. parks or suburban offices, while others downsized their corporate
in voids is expected to decrease the return footprint.
yield on this asset class. The property market, according to the Meanwhile, Old Mutual said significant
Integrated Properties’ 2020 property mar- inflationary developments continue to de- “The property market remains susceptible to low demand for
In its third-quarter portfolio managers’ ket research report, was subdued for the press the money market asset class perfor- space, particularly in the CBD office sector due to low economic
digest, Old Mutual said there was a need for greater part of the year 2020, with activi- mance. It said a concern over the real value activity,” listed property firm Mashonaland Holdings company
the sector to adapt to trends. ties largely overshadowed by the Covid-19 of money coupled with restrictions on the secretary Egnes Madhaka said in a trading update for the year to
pandemic. spread that lenders can charge on credit ad- 30 September 2021.
“Property sector players who are able to vances has made this asset class relatively less
adapt and provide properties that can ser- The pandemic forced staff to work re- attractive to most investors. However, it has not been all doom and gloom for the sector as
vice the specialised needs of growing sectors motely and the market was characterised there were improvements noted in the retail segment where oc-
of the economy such as agriculture, ware- by space surrenders, with landlords losing “Additionally, the limited access to nos- cupancies increased as the economy “mirrors its retail concentra-
housing and logistics as well as sections of their bargaining power as tenants negotiat- tro funding, which borrowers are in de- tion”.
the retail and informal sector are expected ed rentals downwards, thereby lowering re- mand for, means it will be additionally
to improve on their earnings yields,” the turns on property. Invariably, this impacted more difficult to place money at attractive According to the property firm, the industrial segment has re-
group said. yields,” it said. mained resilient with average yields of 8% across the market as
well as occupancies above 90%.

On the supply side of the property market, the dominant sector
has been the residential sub-sector which continues to attract new
development activity due to the high demand for residential space
and also the low risk given the sizes of residential units.

Despite the challenges experienced in the past year, the proper-
ty firm hinges the sector recovery prospects on the anticipated eco-
nomic recovery prospects expected this year on the back of strong
agricultural performance.

“Government of Zimbabwe has forecast that the economy will,
in spite of the headwinds, record a growth of 7.8% for the year
2021.

“The positive economic growth projections are anticipated to
contribute towards improved demand in the real estate occupier
market. The company remains focused on its strategic priorities,
which include portfolio diversification and portfolio optimisation
to sustain overall business performance,” Madhaka said.

Meanwhile, the firm recorded 37% revenue increase compared
to the same period last year driven by periodic rent reviews which
the business has been performing in line with market practice.
The improved revenue performance was also driven by new leases
concluded during the period.

According to the group, occupancy levels have increased by 2%
from 79.2% to 80.6% during the 12-month period.

Operating profit jumped 18% due to the revenue growth.
However, the operating profit margin decreased by 14% following
an increase in total operating expenses.

“Increase in operating expenses was driven by movement in un-
official market exchange rates which had a bearing on the Zimba-
bwe dollar value of maintenance materials and services consumed
by the company,” Madhaka said.

During the period under review, the company increased its in-
vestment in maintenance activities in an effort to retain occupan-
cies and also to attract new lettings.

NewsHawks Sport Page 49

Issue 57, 19 November 2021 This could be
double-edged
Another Compton in
for the Zim experience sword for
BEN Compton, the cousin of former aged correctly, Zimbabwe could be- Zim football
England batsman Nick Compton, in Zimbabwe for The Guardian: “I Ben Compton. come a cricket powerhouse.”
who once expressed his desire to play think a lot of people still imagine that me say right at the start that the game NOT even the lure of the Africa Cup
for Zimbabwe, is currently playing Zimbabwe is a colonial outpost and is loved and passionately pursued by Nick, however, went on to play 16 of Nations tournament, which is just
domestic cricket in the African coun- that cricket is a relic of the part. Let thousands of black Zimbabweans. Tests for England between 2012 and two months away, could stop Zimba-
try for local side Manicaland Moun- That’s why I believe, if they are man- 2016. Ben was also born in Durban, bwe's talismanic playmaker Khama
taineers. just like his cousin. Billiat from calling time on his inter-
national career.
The 27-year-old opening batsman, “One of the amazing things about
who was released by Nottinghamshire sport as a whole is how it can bring Many felt Billiat’s decision was
at the end of the 2021 season, is us- people together,” he said during his premature, at the age of 31, proba-
ing his Zimbabwe stint as an overseas time with Nottinghamshire.  bly some two to three years still left
professional with the Mutare-based in him.  Others thought, if he really
team to get back in form before join- “The varied experiences we’ve had felt that it was time up, he should
ing his new county side Kent.  in the squad allow us to gel as peo- at least have waited until the end of
ple over different experiences and the Afcon finals next January before
Compton had initially planned upbringings. My journey is very dif- walking away with a third consecu-
to play in Zimbabwe in 2020, but ferent to a lot of guys who grew up tive tournament appearance.
didb not travel because of the coro- in the system here in England, but I
navirus-impacted ban on sport in the always wanted to play cricket in En- Well, there will be no Afcon for
country.  gland. Billiat, and there might be no Afcon
for any other Zimbabwean player
“My training before Christmas “I suppose I was trying to follow in either in the wake of the suspension
had a really strong red-ball focus, be- my cousin (Nick)’s footsteps, in the of the Zimbabwe Football Associa-
cause I was planning to be in Zimba- same way that he was trying to follow tion (Zifa) executive by the country’s
bwe playing four-day cricket around in grandad’s (Denis). There’s a bit of sports regulatory body, the Sports
about now,” he told a reporter in the a generational ladder going on there and Recreation Commission (SRC).
United Kingdom back then. for us. It’s been a challenging jour-
ney at times, and it’s not always been World football ruling body Fifa,
“All sport over there (in Zimba- easy to break the door down and get according to laws and statutes and
bwe) has been put on hold – but we into the game, but the coaches here habitually, will most likely demand
all recognise how lucky we are to even have all been hugely supportive. To the reinstatement of the Zifa board,
be training, so it’s just one of those be able to play for a club like Notts failure to which Zimbabwe could be
things you’ve got to deal with.” having grown up in South Africa… I banned from all forms of interna-
couldn’t really ask for more.” tional football. 
In 2011, his cousin Nick spent
a season in Zimbabwe playing for The two cousins are the grandsons If Fifa were to intervene, what is
Mashonaland Eagles. of the great Denis Compton, regard- worrisome is that the men and wom-
ed as one of the best England bats- en on the SRC board – a very good
At that time, South African-born men of all time. blend of Zimbabwean sports brains
Nick revealed his interest in making – know the possible repercussions if
himself eligible to play international The older Compton, who died at they do not comply. 
cricket here, because his mother was the age of 78 in 1997, was also a gift-
born and bred in Zimbabwe.  ed footballer and played for Arsenal.

He later wrote of his experience —STAFF WRITER.

Sables psyched up for Namibia HawkZone

ENOCK MUCHINJO editions at the expense of Zimbabwe paign with a fit side, which is great. awareness. It is top-class players like Enock
and others on the African continent. Going into a Test like this is magic. these, who if they bring their A-game Muchinjo
ZIMBABWE captain Hilton Mudari- Yeah, I mean, it’s all about big rivals. into this match, can give Zimbabwe
ki says a win over Namibia in the fi- “The guys have gone out and trained Namibia, we haven’t beaten them a fighting chance against the mighty It seems minds have been made up.
nal of a quadrangular tournament this really well, we’ve obviously looked at since 2001, so it’s a big task for us. Welwitschias. The SRC certainly are not prepared
Saturday, which will be the Sables’ first the video of the Brazil game, (and) saw They have got a very big, strong heavy to be left with egg on the face again,
over their great rivals in two decades, the things that we need to work on,” pack of forwards, (and a) big backline, Unfortunately for the Sables, the after they were forced to reinstate
will help the team’s rankings and serve said the 29-year-old scrumhalf. so they play very direct rugby, similar former Prince Edward School star Zimbabwe’s cricket board two years
as a big morale booster ahead of next to the South African way of rugby: is not available for the final after re- ago when the country was slapped
year’s last phase of World Cup qualifi- “The guys are just excited about this keep to the corners, maul it and try turning to France following the Brazil with an international ban. 
ers in France.  weekend versus Namibia. Obviously, cross try-lines, through mauling. So clash.
it’s a final, something that we are ex- yeah, it’s going to be a tough one and You get the feeling that the SRC
To lift the trophy of this World cited to play in. Obviously, these are it’s going to be hard for the boys. But “He was only released for one game are convinced that they have their
Rugby-organised tournament in Stel- the things that you want to be a part the boys are really up to the task, we’ve from his club (RC Aubenas Vals),” said backs covered this time around; ex-
lenbosch, South Africa, the Sables of as a rugby player, playing in finals. trained well this week and prepared Sables team manager Jason Maritz. pect them to dig in their heels on this
must move mountains against a well- And we have that opportunity on the well. We are all looking forward to the “We obviously wanted him to stay, but one.
oiled Namibian side that showed little weekend, so we are very excited about game and we are going into the game the club put pressure on him to return
respect for a decent Kenya side, hand- that. The win against Brazil was very with a very positive mindset.” to club commitments.” It could turn out to be a dou-
ing the East Africans a crushing 60-24 important, we’ve gone up in our world ble-edged sword for Zimbabwe.
defeat in one of two semi-finals last rankings (three places from 35 to 32), Whilst Dawson has revealed his Tsomondo has been replaced in the
weekend. which is exactly what we need to con- admiration of Namibia’s forwards and number eight position by Aiden Bur- The Zifa board led by Felton Ka-
tinue building on, leading into the backs, the former Sables captain would nett.  mambo has been a monumental di-
Earlier on in the Stellenbosch Chal- (World Cup) qualifiers next year. So have been hugely encouraged by the SABLES LINE-UP saster on many fronts, one horren-
lenge last Sunday, Zimbabwe started that was a step in the right direction quality brought to his own team in STARTING: 15. Tapiwa Mafura dous decision after another proving
brightly in the other semi-final but for us, having won that game against both departments, by two newcomers 14. Brandon Mudzekenyedzi 13. to all and sundry that football in this
slowed down in the second half to Brazil, who are ranked much higher who debuted against the Brazilians. Riaan O’Neill 12. Takudzwa Chie- country is in the wrong hands.
only edge out vastly improving min- than us. The support has been im- za 11. Shingi Katsvere 10. Dudlee
nows Brazil 24-20.  mense from back home, from people Tapiwa Tsomondo – the 28-year- White-Sharpley 9. Hilton Mudari- I will leave the SRC charges against
all over the world, from people that old eighthman who plays in Frances’s ki (capt) 8. Aiden Burnett 7 Biselele Zifa to the responsible authorities,
Zimbabwe had three tries by im- tuned in. We really do appreciate you, third-tier system – had an impressive Tshamala 6. Godfrey Muzanargwo 5. but what we all see from the out-
posing eighthman Tapiwa Tsomondo, we feel the support. debut with his strong defence, power- George Saungweme 4. Sean Beevor 3. side is incompetence beyond belief:
exciting winger Brandon Mudzek- ful carries, mobility and ability to dis- Cleopas Kundiona 2. Royal Mwale 1. shocking coaching appointments,
enyedzi and replacement flank Ton- Hopefully we will go out this week- rupt at the breakdown. Tyran Fagan. stadia neglect, and a general lack of
derai Chiwambutsa. Flyhalf Dudlee end and make you proud.” organisational skills.
White-Sharpley added the other nine The other debutant, 25-year-old SUBS: 16. Deanne Makoni 17,
points from the kicking tee.  Sables coach Brendan Dawson also fullback Tapiwa Mafura, showed why Victor Mupunga 18. Bornwell Gwin- I personally want to see the back of
revealed great motivation ahead of his he is a regular at South African Currie ji 19. Godwin Mangenje 20. Tonde- this Zifa lot. Good riddance, indeed.
Skipper Mudariki believes the team team’s biggest game of the year.  Cup side Pumas – with his good tack- rai Chiwambutsa 21. Keith Chiwara
has done its homework to stage an ling, comfortable catching, ability to 22. Martin Mangongo 23. Jordan But they ought to go alone. I am
upset over a Namibian team that has “We’re very happy that we are going read the game well, speed and tactical Coombes. not sure they are worth taking with
qualified for the past six World Cup into this Test with no injuries,” Daw- them a whole football-loving nation
son said. “We are going into this cam- to the backwaters of the game. 

I sincerely hope that we are not,
as a country, bordering on a vicious
backlash that could leave us worse
off.

Sports A crippling
poverty of
leadership
at Zifa

‘Humiliated, intimidated,
degraded’ ref reports
Thursday 1 October 2020 sexual advances

Friday 19 November 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS CULTURE
‘Humiliated, intimidated’ ref$60 Covid
tariff for
visitors &
Community
radio
regulations

tourists under review
reports seCxuhaal madvisanacerseacENOCKMUCHINJO
Story on Page 3 Story on Page 8
whole structure is male-dominated and
the stigma and consequences associated
AS events that have triggered the dra- with exposing such a senior and pow-
matic suspension of the Zimbabwe Khupeerful member of the committee, which
Football Association (Zifa) board con- out to would have led to victimisation by way
tinue to emerge, the country’s sports of being frozen out of games, and or
supervisory body has written to the suspension or expulsion from referee-
Prosecutor-General’s office requesting ing, or being barred from all sporting
the prosecution of a referees’ boss who activities. I then got the courage from
allegedly made several sexual advances the evidence I had and learning that
to a female referee since 2019.  I’m not the only one who was subject
Blessing Mpande alleges that she was Unofficial president calls for emergeto this harassment. I have been on the
subjected to the harassment by a Zifa Zifa (referees) panel since 2019, I’m 30
Referees Committee (ZRC) member, years old. I expected to be treated with
Obert Zhoya, who has a full-time job respect not like a lady of the night. I
as a senior manager for a well-known however request you to look into the
state enterprise.  matter and possibly address the issue
The 30-year-old from Bulawayo and in the process protect me and my
claims that she has evidence of per- fellow female referees who are suffering
sistent WhatsApp messages and re- silently.”
corded phone calls from Zhoya, who Zhoya declined to comment on the
asked her to travel to Harare to “spend matter, referring us to the referees’ com-
a night” with her at a hotel.  mittee’s spokesman, Brighton Mud-
Mpande, who is married, first wrote zamiri, who said: “matters like this,
to Zifa management in September including this particular one you refer
2020, but has chosen to come out to, are before the Fifa ethics committee.
publicly after her complaint was not We cannot comment on issues that are
addressed to her satisfaction.  sub judice.”
“I’m writing this letter to bring to Meanwhile, in correspondence from
your attention what a number of fe- Sports and Recreation Commission
male referees in our country are going (SRC) acting director-general Sebastian
through and suffering silently for fear of Garikai, addressed to Prosecutor-Gen-
victimisation,” she wrote in a letter dat- eral Kumbarai Hodzi, the commission
ed 12 September 2020 seen exclusively has requested the country’s prosecuting
by The NewsHawks. authority to act.
“On the 4th of March 2020, I re- “We have attached a recording of
ceived a (sic) WhatsApp messages and the allegations lodged with the Com-
followed up with a phone call on the mission by the Complainant for your
5th of March 2020 from the Zifa Ref- reference and attention,” wrote Garikai. 
erees Committee Secretary Mr Obert “The same information was shared
Zhoya. I want to let you know I was with the Zifa Secretariat, but to this
and I’m still not happy with the man- Blessing Mpande. date, the matter doesn’t appear to have

ner and tone used in the conversations. who decides on my career as a referee was clearly not business-related. To make these damning accusations been resolved conclusively within the
I was surprised to hear an unwelcome I felt cornered. As a result, I recorded “He stated that he was booked alone without any evidence would have been Association’s grievances structures.
message of sexual advancement which the conversation to create a safety net so as to make it clear it was a personal an exercise in futility. The allegations I Concurrently, we also have received
left me offended, humiliated, intim- should this issue come out in the public visit not a work visit. Him alluding to make herein are backed by evidence in follow-up calls and emails from the
idated and degraded especially as to domain as it has now. In the audio re- the fact that he was booked alone also, the form of call voice recordings.” Complainant. The Commission be-
what category of a woman he had cording, he was asking me to come to is an interpretation that he wanted us to Mpande said she decided to report lieves that these allegations, because of
placed me on.” Harare and spend a night with him at a meet in private without anyone know- the advances in spite of her fear of victi- their seriousness, should have received
Mpande added that she felt “cor- Harare hotel (Jameson). I tried to brush ing or seeing us. If it was work related, misation since Zhoya was a “powerful” priority which does not appear to have
nered” by Zhoya’s advances, given that it aside and he had the audacity to call ALwSeOwoIuNldShIaDveEmet dFuirninagnthceedMay,ininistymwanipweitshionutthe$3ga.m2eB. iTllhioe naddvaenpceos,sitobreesnftuhne dcase.” Zim's latest land c
he is her superior and an influential and asked why I had not accepted his a public place, there was no need to be she said, portrayed her as a “lady of the Failure to deal with sexual harass-
person in the appointment of match request. He insisted that I get the bus sneaky about it. He even offered to send night”, and she suspects that several ment allegations, as in the Mpande
officials.  on Saturday and spend the night with me transport money, which is not the other female referees across the coun- matter, is part of a litany of charges
“This person is my superior and him before he drops me off the follow- normal way. Referees fund themselves try have been subjected to similar ap- cited by the SRC in its decision to sus-
holds so much authority in as far as my ing morning so that I board a bus back for official workshops and meetings. I proaches.  pend the Zifa board this week. Other
refereeing career is concerned. For him to Bulawayo. In his pursuit and advanc- would like to put it on record that he “I held on to the audios and messag- charges include misappropriation of
making unwelcome sexual advances to- es, he was very relentless.” had been making these unwelcome es because I was still pondering how I funds, improper conduct and malad-
wards me and him being my superior Zhoya’s invitation, Mpande wrote, sexual advances since September 2019. could report this given the fact that the ministration.

ALSO INSIDE Another Compton in for the Zimbabwe experience